


Ikiryou

by RussianHatter



Category: Naruto
Genre: BAMF!Lee, Bottom!Lee - Freeform, Dark!Lee, Demon Holder!Lee, Jinchuuriki Lee, M/M, Mom!Lee, MultiLee, Reverse Harem
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-09
Updated: 2017-02-10
Packaged: 2018-07-14 02:51:05
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 39
Words: 112,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7149713
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RussianHatter/pseuds/RussianHatter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It was never a secret and now he just doesn't care. He feels nothing but slowly feeling is returning and his heart is caught. He will fight and kill, nothing can stop him. He will teach the others to do the same. He will not lose his precious ones again.</p><p>This is a Rewrite!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Italics are flashbacks and thoughts to oneself
> 
> Bold is Demon's talking
> 
> Bold Italic is the demon holders talking back to the demons

"Mooootheeer..." Lee sang, elongating the word as he stared up into the darkness above his bed.

' **Yes Kitten?** ' She answered in his mind, voice rumbling with power but soft to him and still feminine.

"I had the dream again..."

' **Of Kuma?** '

"Yesss." Lee hissed, lips twisting down, "When will those memories leave..."

' **Never I suppose. You were very different back then, kitten.** '

Lee hummed and slowly sat up, thick black hair falling in front of him like a waterfall. It covered his covered lap and he stared at the glossy strands. "I was young and stupid."

' **No, merely naive. You were a child, you did not know better.** '

Lee giggled and there was something disturbing about the sound. He finally slunk from the bed, feet silent on wood flooring as he glided to the bathroom and slipped inside. His nude form was reflected in the bathroom mirror and he turned the shower on before looking at himself. He hummed and tilted his head in a way that was reminiscent of a cat. His skin was unblemished and soft looking, hairless and lithe. Perfect really and he was proud of it.

' **You are preening, Kitten.** ' Mother sounded amused and Lee giggled, licking his sharp teeth as he grinned.

"I blame you." He said, teasingly at his reflection, "I am proud anyway. We have trained hard for this body, and thanks to your healing, I have no scars."

' **True.** ' She said, echoing a laugh, ' **Are you planning to keep hiding your ability to use jutsu?** '

"Yes..." Lee's black pearl eyes flashed with anger, "Let them think me weak. I still do not trust them!"

' **Yes...It has only been two years since coming to this village. They have not done much to gain my approval.** '

"This whole place is horrible..."

' **But...** '

"It is better than that _filthy_ _cage_." Lee spat like a feral cat, bristling.

' **Yet we are still owned. We are still a tool.** '

"At least it is for a lesser evil." Lee rolled his head, stretching his neck before turning and getting into the now hot shower. The water scalded his skin and he sighed in pleasure, mewling softly. Mother chuckled in his head and he smiled. When he was done and finished with his normal bathroom routine, he left to his sparse bedroom and opened his closet.

He pulled out a tight black turtle neck and black spandex pants then black ninja shoes that went up to mid-calf which hid the weights that Gai had been training him with. Black fingerless gloves came as well so the only skin that was showing was his fingers, toes, and face, all of which were as pale as snow. He braided his hair then looked at himself in the closet mirror. He nodded to himself, deciding that he looked good enough -different from how he used to look which was the point-, and wrapped his headband around his slender waist. Last, he wrapped his weapons pouch around his right thigh before slipping out of his apartment.

' **Are we going to approach the Kyuubi vessel today?** ' Mother questioned in Lee's head.

' _ **Maybe, do you think it would be a good idea?'**_ He thought back, sticking close to the buildings so he wouldn't knock into the morning rush of civilians.

' **We have been watching him for a year. He is going to become a ninja soon, it is better to get acquainted now.** '

Lee hummed to himself, crossing his arms over his swaying hips as he thought about it. Yes, mother was right but how to get the other demon holder to notice him? He couldn't say that they were the same, not right off the bat; that would most likely push the boy away. He also had to do it in a way that kept him unnoticed. He didn't want any attention, not before...

' **You should befriend him...** ' Matatabi broke Lee out of his quiet thoughts and he smiled.

 _ **'Of course, but do you really think I could make...'friends', mother?'**_ Lee chuckled to himself, finding it almost...funny. Friends...such a foreign concept.

' **I do not think it would be too hard, little one. Be polite, be kind, and he will ally himself with you in due time...** ' She seemed to pause for a moment before continuing, **'I do wonder though, how much control does Kurama have over the child...** '

' _ **How much could he have? He doesn't seem to be...like us.**_ '

' **He most likely would not be. Kyuubi must be very angry, I know I was until we started conversing.** '

Lee smiled, a little happy and a little shy, ' _ **I am glad you decided to give me a chance Mother**_ **.** '

' **But with what happened...** '

' _ **That was...I do not blame you Mother. I could not control-**_ '

' **It was not your fault either!** ' She cut him off, voice hard and angry, ' **They had a chance to save them, yet all they could 'see' was that you were 'possessed'. Vile, loathsome humans! They did not even try to save your family!** '

Lee had to stop. The memories- _Fire, screaming from inside the burning house. People, the elders running in. He tried to tell them but they didn't listen. They attacked him instead. Mother finally took over, the only way to make it out of the battle alive. They captured him, ignoring his dying parents...when he woke, he was in hell._ \- Lee shuddered. He squeezed his own hips then continued walking, not addressing the subject.

' _ **How can we get his attention?**_ ' Lee asked instead but then he gave a slight smile when he noticed a familiar boy running towards him, not realizing that he was there.

' _ **What was that saying, mother? Speak of the devil and he shall appear?'**_ Lee smiled at Mother's soft laughter and made the split second decision to step into Naruto's path.

Naruto didn't notice Lee until it was too late and the blond boy crashed into him, sending them to the ground. Lee twisted, cushioning their fall as much as he could by curling his body around Naruto to protect the younger boy from any damage. He let out a small gasp as his body hit the ground hard. It was more like a shock than him feeling any pain and he slowly sat up. He kept his arms around the shorter boy and looked down at him, feeling vaguely amused.

"Are you alright?" Lee asked with a cat-like tilt of his head.

Naruto's head shot up in surprise then he quickly pulled himself from Lee's arms, "Y-Yea, sorry 'bout that! I didn't see ya there, hehe..." He rubbed the back of his head then fixed his goggles by habit. His face was slightly red with what Lee guessed was embarrassment.

"That is alright. I am just glad that you were not hurt." Lee stood up, brushing the dirt off his body, then offered his hand to Naruto with a kind smile.

Naruto's eyes widened slightly and he blushed a little harder as he took Lee's hand. He didn't know why, but something about Lee just called out to him and he kind of felt like chuckling and sticking close to him. He shook his head then grinned widely at Lee.

"I'm Uzumaki Naruto! What's your name?" Naruto found himself eager to hear it for some reason.

"It is a pleasure to meet the famous Uzumaki Naruto." Lee giggled softly, his movements feminine as he wrapped one arm around his own waist again and covered his parted lips with the other. He placed that hand on his opposite hip then continued, "I am Rock Lee."

"Hiya! O-hey, that headband! You're a ninja!" Naruto grinned excitedly.

Lee giggled again and nodded, "Yes, indeed I am. Just a Genin for now, as I am sure you will be too, soon."

"Course! Imma be a Hokage one day! Believe it!"

"Hmm..." Lee looked Naruto up and down before giving him a 'fond' smile, "and believe it, I do. I have no doubt that you will, one day." Lee said, fondness consciously entering his tone. He watched Naruto blush again and rub the back of his head as he grinned. Lee did want to stay and talk, to make sure that he would be a lasting presence in Naruto's mind but knew he had to hurry and go to his team. Despite his reluctance to do so.

Lee sighed and said, "I am sorry, I must go now Naruto-kun. I need to go train."

"Oh, yea! Course! Talk to you later?" His voice was slightly hopeful even though he tried to hide it.

Lee smiled and giggled softly, "Of course!" he said, "I would be very dissapointed if I do not get to talk to the future hokage again soon." Lee winked and pet Naruto's head gently. He leaned down for a moment and tilted Naruto's head up with the tips of his fingers before kissing the boys' cheek before leaving. Lee didn't look back, so he didn't see Naruto standing there with wide eyes and a completely red face.

Lee made it to the training ground with time to spare. He saw Neji and Tenten but no Gai. He hummed to himself then sprang into a tree, perching towards the end where sunlight shown. He purred softly as the sunlight warmed his skin then cracked an eye open as he felt eyes on him.

"Yes Neji~" Lee purred purposely

Neji jolted, blushing slightly before silently glaring at Lee.

Lee sighed, stretching out and arching his back pleasantly before curling up again, saying, "If you are going to keep staring, why do you not come up and join me instead~?"

"What exactly are you up to?" Neji grit out, cheeks gaining a darker tint as he stepped closer to Lee's perch. Neji never made it a secret that he thought Lee was hiding things.

"Oh Neji..." Lee purred, "You are too cute when you assert yourself~"

Neji's face burned completely red as he stepped back, looking surprised and flustered at the same time, "You-!" He began to shout but Gai chose that moment to appear in a puff of smoke, distracting them.

Gai looked around slightly confused as to what had been happening but then grinned widely, his white teeth sparkling. He laughed and called his student's youthful then told them what they were to be doing that day. There were no missions for them so they were just training instead.

The day passed on like that, with Lee, Neji, and Tenten training together on all their specialties. Lee trained harshly on Taijutsu and was pulled away to secretly add a few more pounds to his weights. Lee felt slightly thankful to Gai for everything that he was doing -the man seemed so...honest with everything, so much to the point that Lee had begun to trust him.-, and told him so in not so many words. Gai had just laughed and patted Lee's back, saying that Lee was his precious student, he would always help, no matter what.

The words made his heart pang oddly. He shook off the foreign feeling and got back to training, but with only half a mind as his Mother began speaking.

' **I think we should look for Naruto after training.** '

' _ **Oh?**_ '

' **Yes, it is best to make him think of us often.** '

' _ **Yes Mother.**_ ' Lee mentally nodded, eyes narrowing slightly as he hit the log hard enough to gouge out a good chuck of it, ' _ **We must gain him as an ally quickly...**_ '

Hours later, when the sun was disappearing under the tree line, Gai called the training to a halt and told them all to go home. Lee wiped away his sweat and immediately wanted to take a bath and get clean, the feeling of being dirt disgusted him. He'd do that first before searching out Naruto.

With that thought in mind, Lee left the training area first. He took a shortcut through the village streets but did not go onto the roofs. A familiar sound made him stop after five minutes of light running and he looked towards Ichiraku, the Ramen stand. Lee smiled slightly as he saw Naruto with the Academy teacher Iruka. He walked a little closer to say hello but froze at what he heard.

They were talking about him...

"Naruto... I know you're happy at making a shinobi friend but, I want you to be careful around that guy. He's dangerous..." Iruka said in a quiet concerned tone.

"Wha? Why? Lee's cool, and really really nice!" Naruto said confused but grinning.

Iruka reached over and put a hand on Naruto's shoulder, "I can't say much, just be careful. Trust me on this."

Lee felt himself smile widely though he felt burning anger on the inside. Someone, who didn't even know who he was...was... ' _So this is how it is..._ ' he thought to himself before turning on his heel, ' _Alright. It does not matter anyway._ '

Lee bit his lip to keep in his laughter. Dangerous, the man called him. That _thing_ wouldn't even be able to comprehend how _dangerous_ he was! He could murder him now and leave none the wiser! He could-!

' **Kitten!** ' Mother hissed sharply and Lee gasped, the taste of blood on his tongue.

Lee shuddered and shook his head, quickly licking his bleeding lip. He felt the building hiss in his chest but held it back.

' _ **Disgusting, worthless, pathetic humans...**_ ' Lee bit out, rage still making his eyes focus on the Chuunin

' **Do not waste your time on him Kitten. He is not worth it.** ' Mother said, ' **Let us go for now, we will try and speak with Naruto in a few days, when this conversation will be less fresh in his mind.** '

' _ **Yes, mother...**_ ' Lee slowly slipped into the shadows again and went home. He had to step back anyway. It wouldn't do to lose control and let anger rule...


	2. Chapter 2

Lee kept himself busy the following week, bidding his time by training, sleeping, and eating. Anytime he saw Naruto, he would leave before the blond could see him, then go to the training grounds to work off some frustration.

Iruka's words still irritated him but at least it wasn't to the point that he wanted to murder the ninja. The thought of Naruto believing the Chunin made Lee's skin prickle uncomfortably and his hands flex as if wanting to carve something up. It could ruin his chances before he even got to begin! Lee shook his head harshly and aimed one last kick to the thick training log he had been attacking for the last twenty minutes. He wasn't even sweating yet but could take no more of it.

He needed to take a bath. That would calm him down...

Lee turned and walked from the training area. His fingers twitched and he clenched his hands into fists. He took slight comfort in the bite of his nails almost piercing his skin through his gloves. Lee closed his black pearl eyes for a moment then sighed, slowly forcing himself to relax.

' **He is coming.** ' Mother warned

Lee paused just in time to hear a voice shouting his name, Lee was turning before it even registered in his mind. He quickly recognized the voice and smiled without feeling it.

"Hello Naruto-kun." Lee said in a quaint tone.

"Hey Lee!" Naruto grinned widely as he finally got to the other boy. His cheeks turned slightly pink as he put his hands behind his head, "I haven't seen you around. That means you've had some mission's right?" Naruto sounded so excited.

Lee kept his polite smile as he told Naruto the truth, "No." he said, "I have just been avoiding you."

Naruto's grin just dropped from his face and he looked at Lee in confused hurt. His arms dropped as well and he stopped squinting his eyes to look at Lee completely with his dark blue eyes.

"W-wha?" Naruto slightly stuttered, "Why?"

Lee felt a vague sense of surprise at how hurt Naruto sounded. The feeling of satisfaction at already being at least a little important to the boy warred with another feeling inside him. He bit his inner cheek, strangely wanting to hug Naruto and apologize. Instead, he said a half truth, "I overheard your conversation with Umino Iruka last week. As I am apparently...dangerous, I have decided to stay away from you. I do not want to ruin your chances of becoming Hokage."

Naruto stared at Lee with slightly wide eyes and felt himself begin to blush. His ears burned and the color was slowly spreading to his cheeks as well. He laughed and grinned, trying to distract himself from the odd, somehow pleasantly queasy feeling in his stomach, then said, "Nah, you don't have to do that! I'll become Hokage no matter what! Believe it!"

Lee blinked at Naruto's reaction and earnest expression. Finally, Lee's lips twisted into a smile, different from normal. He actually felt his cheek muscles slightly begin to ache. He reached out and gently ran his hand through Naruto's hair, saying, "Of course, Naruto. You will become Hokage; I have never doubted that."

' **Kurama's holder seems to be quickly attaching himself to you.** ' Matatabi said in an interested and strangely fond tone.

' _ **Yes, it is kind of...really cute.**_ ' Lee thought in a fond tone that was not faked for once.

After a moment, Lee let his hand drop, barely letting his fingers brush Naruto's cheek. He noticed Naruto's slightly disappointed expression before it quickly disappeared and had to smile. He placed his hand on his out jutted hip and aimed his smile at Naruto, before saying, "You know what? You want to eat with me? I make a mean curry."

If this played out correctly, he could bind Naruto to him all the sooner.

"Y-you'd cook for me?!" Naruto exclaimed, eyes wide and cheeks red again. He shifted nervously before grinning widely, saying "S-sure!"

Lee covered his mouth in a dainty manner as he giggled. He gave Naruto a short nod the held out his hand to Naruto, saying, "Alright...let us go."

Naruto looked at Lee's hand and felt his heart jump. He looked away, slightly grinning in excitement as he reached and took Lee's hand. He looked up at the feminine boy and felt happier than ever before. He never had something like this happen before! He hoped...he really hoped that this wasn't a dream.

Lee laughed softly and gently led Naruto back to his place. He shifted so Naruto was closer to the buildings, subconsciously protecting him from the crowds. He felt Naruto slightly bump into him and looked down only to see Naruto grinning happily at the ground like a...like a child.

It almost made Lee freeze in place but training kept his legs moving.

' _ **Mother...**_ '

' **Yes I see it...** '

' _ **He is really...he is just a child...**_ ' Lee swallowed roughly, feeling something foreign tighten around his heart, he bit back a gasp, ' _ **W-what is this feeling...?**_ '

' **You feel for Naruto. The same way I felt for you when I began to talk with you.** ' Mother said, bringing a sense of denial to Lee.

' _ **B-but...**_ '

' **It is your choice on what to do Kitten. I will support you no matter what.** '

Lee bit the inside of his cheek then looked at Naruto again. This time a strange warm feeling fluttered in his chest. He...he kind of liked it. Lee squeezed Naruto's hand and the boy looked up at him. Lee's mind went blank for a moment before he smiled softly, genuinely at him.

"We are almost there; I hope you have a big appetite." He said in a soft playful tone.

Naruto grinned and quickly nodded, "Yeah! I can't wait! I've never tried curry before!"

"Oh well that simply will not do!" Lee said in mock horror. He giggled softly and quickened his pace, "We must rectify that immediately!"

"Rectify...?"

"It is a variation of 'correct'." Lee answered Naruto's confused tone without a thought as they got to his apartment. He opened the door and motioned Naruto inside. He smiled again as Naruto bounced in, looking at everything he could.

It was a decent apartment room, organized and clean. His weapons and scrolls were scattered around the room but all of it was neat and nothing was on the ground. It was the same with his bedroom. There was always a weapon near just in case.

"Like it?" Lee asked, amused by Naruto's wanderings.

"Yeah! You got a lot of cool ninja gear!" Naruto exclaimed and Lee giggled softly before going into the kitchen. Naruto quickly followed him and Lee saw him try to decide where to sit.

"Sit anywhere, the chair, table, counter, I do not care." Lee said, taking out the proper ingredients for the curry.

Naruto hesitated for a moment before choosing the chair to at least be slightly polite. He didn't want this to end too soon and he didn't want Lee to get annoyed with him either.

Lee started making the curry and slightly tilted his head towards the blond even as he kept his eyes on the food and said, "How have you been, Naruto-kun?"

"Really good! I gotta go to the academy a lot though, so I see the bastard every day." Naruto frowned heavily but then grinned sheepishly, saying " I hate going to classes but I'll be graduating to a Genin in a week anyway so it doesn't matter!" his grin grew.

Lee took his attention off the cooking meat and smiled fondly at Naruto, saying, "How grand~"

Naruto slightly blushed and wiggled in his seat. He got up and brought the chair closer to Lee, grinning sheepishly as Lee glanced at him with an amused look.

"So, who is this 'bastard' that you must see every day?" Lee asked.

"Tch, Sasuke-teme. I don't know why everyone likes him so much! Even Sakura-chan does!" Naruto said, waving his arms before crossing them and sulking like a child.

"Oh~? And who's this 'Sakura-chan', hm?" Lee teased, smiling widely.

His cheeks really were starting to hurt but he couldn't make himself stop.

"Sakura-chan is this girl in class! She's really pretty!" Naruto said with no shame, his cheeks tinting red again, "She's got pink hair and green eyes and she's REALLY smart! This other girl teases her about her forehead being big but I like it, it's really cute."

Lee laughed and when he saw Naruto pouting, he turned and stroked the blond's cheek.

"You are so sweet Naruto-kun. You should tell her that." He said, not really knowing why he was saying this.

"B-but I can't! She likes the bastard!" Naruto exclaimed.

"Maybe so, but if you tell her exactly what you think...I think she will grow to like you more." Lee said then leaned down and kissed Naruto's cheek, "After all, you are such a cute boy, how could anyone not like you?"

"L-lee!" Naruto blushed brightly, more flustered than Lee had ever seen him before, including the whole year he had watched the boy.

"What?" Lee said with a slight tilt of his head, "It is true. You are very adorable...I find myself wanting to hug you often..." Lee admitted, feeling hesitant with revealing that.

Naruto's face stayed red and he wiggled in his seat before mumbling something that Lee only caught thanks to his enhanced hearing, "I wouldn't mind..."

Should he? So soon? Physical affection wasn't something he was used to at all. He'd only really shown affection once before, but that was something completely different. His angel had made him feel like it was okay, like being able to _feel_ wasn't something to be frowned upon and destroyed...

Would it be the same for Naruto...?

Lee swallowed then turned away from the simmering food and knelt down in front of Naruto. He saw Naruto's eyes widen and recognized the sight of eagerness, fear, apprehension, and hope in those so blue orbs. Lee supposed it was a hope in them that had Lee going through with it and wrapping his arms around the younger boy. He heard Naruto quietly gasp and tense, he stayed like that for a few moments before almost lunging forward and hugging Lee back. Naruto's arms were holding onto him so tightly that it almost felt like the boy was choking him but Lee endured it...especially when he felt something wet sink into his shirt and Naruto's body began to slightly shake.

Lee kept quiet and simply held Naruto closer.

When Lee finally pulled away, he turned so Naruto could dry his tears and quickly finished up the curry. He made two plates and set them onto the table before sitting down to eat. Naruto took a bit and his eyes teared up again as he said that it was really good.

Lee smiled at Naruto and told him thank you.

They ate in silence with Naruto sniffling from time to time and when they were done, Lee took Naruto home. The younger boy tried to refuse but Lee told him that he would be more at ease if he knew that he'd made it home safely. Naruto kept silent after that but walked closer to Lee, constantly brushing against him as they made their way to his home.

When Lee got back home, he sighed and cleaned up the mess they'd left behind. As he worked he heard Matatabi say,

' **Do you think that was his first hug?** '

' _ **I...I think so.**_ ' Lee thought, not wanting to open his mouth.

' **I think he will be very attached to you now.** ' She said though she sounded slightly sad.

Lee nodded slowly, ' _ **Just because of a hug...Just like me. He seems...so young...**_ '

' **...Yes...** ' She slowly said, her voice slightly tight. Mother never did like neglected children.

' _ **His dream will be difficult to achieve...I...Does he even know what he is...?**_ ' Lee frowned slightly as he finished cleaning his dishes. He left the kitchen and stripped as he made his way into the bathroom. He turned the water on and plugged the tub without actively thinking about it.

' **I do not think so...I hope he does not find out the hard way...** '

' _ **As do I, Mother...as do I.**_ ' Lee stepped into his now full bathtub and sunk into the hot water, closing his eyes and sighing tiredly.

' _ **I...want to protect him, Mother. It is frightening how much and how quickly I am starting to care. I thought that I was incapable of feeling such things…**_ '

' **Do not worry little one. I felt the same way with you; it just means that this will be a good decision.** ' Her voice was hopeful and Lee smiled softly.

He slowly let his head loll to the side then felt his ears twitch as he heard a soft noise coming from his bedroom. A flare of chakra told him who it was. Lee slowly blinked then made himself push away his feeling and made himself smile as he called out, "In here!"

He listened to the quiet footsteps then tilted his head back to look at his bathroom door. The door opened and the man in the doorway faltered for a split second before smiling.

"I didn't know this was your bathroom." He said, his tone amused.

Lee hummed softly and turned in the tub. He lay his arms on the edge and stared at the man, saying, "Sorry Kashi-kun, I thought you did. Oh well~" his tone taking on that purring quality once again.

Kakashi chuckled good-naturedly and leaned against the doorway, crossing his arms.

"How have you been, Lee. Settled yet?"

"I have been as normal as I always will. Settling does not matter." Lee said calmly.

"Lord Hokage hopes that you will come to treat Konoha as your home, you know that."

"Of course..." Lee held back a grimace. Home was not here, home would be with his Fallen Angel if he would ever have one. He might be a tool for this village but that did not mean that he would sink into the fantasy they wanted.

"But," Lee said, hiding his inner thoughts with a teasing tone, "Hokage-sama should know, my home is you Kashi-kun~"

Kakashi chuckled again, his eye crinkling in amusement, "You make an old man feel so young."

"I like them older. Experienced." Lee said, his smile widening. He supposed...if he did say that he liked something in this place, it would be these little flirtations with Kakashi. It was always harmless and it felt more like a game where they tried to one-up each other.

"I do have plenty."

Lee suddenly grinned, he could barely see it but it was still there, a faint red on the tips of Kakashi's ear. He grinned wider, like the cat that caught the canary. A purr left him at his little victory.

"Anyway." Kakashi said quickly, suddenly sober instead of playful, "I've come to see how you have been and...Lord Hokage has a mission for you, tomorrow."

"Of course... And I assume that it is Ikiryou whom is needed?" Lee cut to the chase, smiling without feeling it.

"Ah, yes..." Kakashi said, sounding like he was smiling but his visible eye was no longer crinkled, "You are to report to the Hokage at noon tomorrow."

Kakashi suddenly walked forward and crouched to Lee's height. He reached out and placed his hand on Lee's head for a moment, almost...petting Lee's hair before standing once again.

"I'll be going now, people to see, old ladies to help." Kakashi said with a nonchalant wave of his hand before leaving the bathroom then Lee's apartment.

Lee let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and slumped against his tub.

' _ **I never know what that man is thinking...**_ '

' **Yes...neither do I.** '

' _ **But...he still does not seem so bad...**_ '

' **Nonetheless, he would kill us without a thought if ordered to.** '

For some reason, Lee felt himself become depressed. He nodded in reply to Mother's words and continued with his bath.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day Lee purposely sought out Naruto while he knew that the academy was having lunch. It was only a half hour before noon but Lee felt like it was needed for him to tell Naruto that he would be gone. He found the boy alone by a tree, eating.

"Naruto-kun~" Lee sang, surprising the boy.

"Lee!" Naruto exclaimed, a bright smile immediately stretching his lips, "What are you doing here?"

Lee giggled softly and sat down next to the boy, nudging him slightly, "I wanted to tell you that I will not be around for a while. I am going on a mission."

Naruto somehow looked disappointed yet excited at the same time and Lee reached out, gently running his fingers through Naruto's hair. He felt the younger boy lean into his touch and felt that still foreign feeling of fondness fill him again.

"When I come back, I will find you. Will you eat with me again?" Lee asked with a slight tilt of his head.

"Yeah! I really liked the curry you made!" Naruto said and Lee smiled.

He ruffled Naruto's hair once more before putting a little pressure on Naruto's head. He pulled the boy to him and when Naruto realized what Lee was going to do, he quickly moved, hugging onto Lee tightly. Lee hugged him back, not even minding that Naruto's hold was so tight that he had a hard time breathing again. He ran a hand over Naruto's hair, practically cradling the demon holder.

So desperate for touch… Lee felt something squeeze his heart at the thought. Naruto held onto him, nuzzling his chest. Lee sighed softly and stayed for as long as he could but as it came closer to the point that he needed to leave, he slowly began to pull away. He felt Naruto's reluctance and his heart panged again.

"Do not worry, Naruto. I will be back before you know it, and then we will hang out again." Lee said making his lips quirk into a smile. He gave it a moment's thought then reached and pushed Naruto's goggles up before pressing a kiss to Naruto's forehead. When he pulled away, he saw that Naruto had closed his eyes and he looked so happy that it made Lee's heart pang strangely.

Lee mentally shook his head then stood up.

"I will see you again soon." Lee said and turned to leave.

"B-be safe!" Naruto stuttered out and Lee softly laughed, giving Naruto one last smile before disappearing.

Lee's expression turned blank as he made his way towards the Hokage's tower and Mother was silent in his mind. He made it to the Hokage's window and tapped on the glass with sharp nails in warning before sliding into the room.

"Reporting for duty, sir…" Lee said, voice almost sing-song if it weren't for its monotone quality.

"Lee-kun-" Sarutobi paused then shook his head with a sigh, "No, Ikiryou."

Lee's lips stretched into a wide smile that showed his sharp teeth. His eyes remained cold and he didn't bother to hide his hate.

"I have an S-Rank for you. In this scroll you will see the mission details. Memorize then burn it." He said, holding out the scroll.

Lee glided forward and took the scroll, "Of course, Hokage-sama. I am at your disposal." He bowed lowly and heard Sarutobi sigh.

"I expect you back in four days' time. I want this done quietly." He said and closed his eyes when Lee bowed further. He knew the mocking tint in it and felt no anger from it. This was a necessary evil, even if he knew that Iki-…he knew that Lee just wanted to be left alone. Unfortunately, the skills Lee brought were needed and Sarutobi could not let the man-…the boy retire.

"As you wish. I aim to please." Lee said, standing straight with the large _mocking_ smile on his lips. Then he dismissed himself.

Lee jumped out of the window and allowed himself to fall through shadow and when he came out, he was no longer outside the tower and instead in his bedroom. He opened the scroll and read its contents before letting his hand set on fire and the scroll burned.

' **Information Gathering and Assassination.** ' Matatabi said, her voice carefully neutral.

' _ **Female disguise needed for the quickest route.**_ ' Lee thought towards the Demon inside him then rolled his head, cracking his neck before quickly packing. He went to his closet and removed the back to reveal another wardrobe filled with dresses and other feminine clothing. He pulled out two dresses and even panties and a bra from the box in the corner.

He removed his clothes and put on the other set. After, he glanced in the mirror and smoothed out the black material that fluttered around his knees. The padded bra gave the realistic illusion of actually having a small chest that fit his stature. The dress tightened around his waist then went out, making his hips look shapely.

For a moment, Lee liked it, seeing a different him that was pretty. Then he turned and got out the other box that was in the corner. He set it down and opened it to reveal make-up. Female ninja didn't wear make-up as it was unneeded plus the scent could give away their position if being tracked. So he took out the products and with a practiced hand, he did his eyes and lips, turning his lids softly smoky and reddening his lips. He kept a small bag with the eye shadow, mascara, and lipstick he used and put it into a purse he hid away for these occasions. A soft neutral purse that could go with just about every female disguise he had.

When he was finished, he unbraided his hair then slipped on some short heels and left his room.

A few stared as he adopted a dancers gait instead of the shinobi's silent steps. Hips swayed as he glided across ground road, his feet making soft sounds with each step. He passed by effortlessly, no one the wiser to who he was.

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It took three days to complete his mission. One day to get to the town his target was in. One day to gather information on who he was, where he was, and what he liked. Then one day to entice the man and lead him to his hotel room. He had knocked the man out then silenced the room before tying the man up and forcing him to wake.

Lee might have had a little too much fun making the man talk before killing him. Still, he got the information needed and he kept his mind intact even with the lovely scent of blood surrounding to him. He made sure to clean up but he himself could still smell the iron clinging to him.

Lee licked his red lips then set the man ablaze in a controlled fire and got rid of the evidence. He quickly checked himself out in the bathroom mirror to make sure that he still looked like 'Tsuki', the name he'd given himself. He nodded and left the hotel room as the sun was rising.

' **You okay Kitten?** ' Matatabi spoke for the first time since they'd gotten the man to their hotel room.

' _ **Of course Mother~ Just a little…giddy.**_ ' Lee giggled and his lips stretched into a pleased smile. His eyes fluttered for a moment and he sighed in pleasure. Then, he noticed the feeling of someone staring.

Lee turned and there on the roof of a civilian home, was a boy with dark red hair and pale skin. Lee stopped and stared back. Despite the distance, Lee could see the dark circles around green eyes.

' **Shukaku…** ' Mother said, sounding surprised.

"Shukaku…?" Lee said, red lips slowly forming each syllable and the demon holder must have read his lips, or even hear him because sand rose from the gourd on his back and he began raising his hand before suddenly stopping and cocking his head like he could hear something.

The sand surrounded the red head and within a blink, the demon holder was in front of Lee instead.

' **Careful Kitten. Shukaku is not the sanest of us all.** ' Mother said, a warning that Lee mentally nodded to.

The demon holder kept staring; such…intense green eyes. Lee wanted to shiver but he kept his body still. Warm wind blew, picking up some of his unbound hair and sending it curling around his body. Lee tilted his head with an easy but fake smile; real but vague interest lighting his black pearl eyes.

"You smell like blood." The red head finally spoke and this time Lee did shiver.

That voice, deep and raspy, unlike a child's should be. It was very nice to listen to…but Lee only tilted his head.

"Oh? Is that so?" He purred softly, automatically, "I am afraid I do not know what you speak of."

"Do not lie." The boy said, his voice a surprisingly low growl, "Mother told me and you know what mother is called."

"I apologize, it is simply reflex." Lee said with no worry. He tilted his head again then suddenly leaned close to the boy. Sand rose but did not attack as Lee slowly inhaled. An audible purr left him as he whispered, "You smell of blood as well. That and sandstone."

"What is your name, little Shukaku?" Lee asked, turning his head just enough to look into the boy's eyes without moving away. The red heads' eyes widened just a moment as he stared.

"Come now…do not be shy." Lee purred, raising a bare hand and touching his fingertips to 'Shukaku's' cheek.

The boy's breath rushed out and his voice sounded rough as he said, "You dare to touch me…even knowing what I am?"

"Yes." Lee said, "I have no fear of someone like me."

The boys' eyes widened again and this time it was him who leaned forward, sharing Lee's breath as he said, "Who are you?"

"I believe I asked you first." Lee replied, pressing his entire palm against the boys' cheek. Those intense eyes seemed to sharpen further.

"Gaara…"Gaara answered and Lee smiled a real smile, a small quirk of his lips.

"I am Lee." Lee returned the favor and he began to move away but _Gaara's_ hand snapped up and gripped his wrist, stopping him from pulling away. Lee hummed curiously and simply pressed his hand completely against Gaara's cheek again.

"You're like me…but you don't burn. You don't have the same look in your eyes. Yours _freeze_." Gaara said and he never once stopped looking into Lee's eyes.

"How…funny." Lee said, a soft giggle falling from his lips.

"How so." Gaara said, a question despite his tone of voice.

"Because, my dear _Gaara_ ," Lee purred, raising his other hand and cupping Gaara's face almost tenderly, "I absolutely _burn._ "

And like that word was a switch, Lee's body went alight. Orange and red flames hugged his body but never harmed him. His hair floated from the heat but the flames never reached Gaara, stopping mid forearm. Gaara's eyes widened for the third time and the color seemed to darken with interest.

"Gaara!" A female's voice burst out, interrupting them. They could heart footsteps pounding towards them and Gaara's sand rustled in the gourd, slowly falling out.

"I guess that is the end then." Lee said, never turning his eyes away from Gaara who did the same, "I do hope we meet again, my dear _Gaara_."

Suddenly, soft lips pressed against Gaara's cheek as Lee's kissed him there. Gaara's breath hitched as Lee's warmth seemed to sear through his sand armor. Then, Lee was gone, only leaving behind a red lip imprint on Gaara's cheek as evidence that he was ever there in the first place.


	4. Chapter 4

Lee laughed as he ran back to Konoha, using the tree shadows to gain even more ground. He went through one and came out miles further then did it again. His lips were oddly tingling from his impulsive move but he had had the urge so he did it.

' **You do love to cause trouble Kitten.'** Matatabi said, amusement clear in her tone.

"But mother! I did nothing to warrant that!" Lee said out loud, a giggle in his voice.

' **Of course not, you only kissed the boy. He must be confused. You were not even wearing your hiate-ate**.'

"Well, to borrow Neji's saying. If he finds me then it is destiny." Lee said

' **He also does not know that you are a boy in body**.'

"He will find out if we meet again then." Lee giggled again as he got closer and closer to Konoha. Hours have passed and it was evening by the time he saw the gates. His time limit of four days luckily reached. He slowed down and took out his Konoha headband to wrap around his waist before gliding through.

He walked down the streets, refraining from roof hopping as he had nothing but panties under his dress skirt. His red lips stretched into a smile, something polite but his gait was fast enough that no one would stop him. Then he turned a corner and smacked into someone.

Lee gasped and had to stop himself from igniting. Arms wrapped around him and they fell to the ground, a grunt coming from below him as they hit the ground. Lee's mind immediately told him that he was on a boy, academy or Genin judging from muscle mass and chakra output. Plus the boy did not have that vague hint of blood most Ninja had after their first mission kill.

"How troublesome…" The boy under him groaned, and Lee quickly looked up. Naturally narrow eyes focused on him and seemed to check him over before releasing him. Lee's mind was actually blank, he couldn't think of a damn thing to do besides staring.

"Hey are you okay?" A female voice came then right after, the same voice yelled, saying, "Shikamaru, why don't you watch where you're going!?"

'Shikamaru' groaned again and let his head fall back against the ground. Lee felt his cheeks warm in an odd way, it was somehow familiar though. He quickly sat up and said,

"Oh, no, it was my fault, I assure you." He looked over to the girl who had pale blonde hair and pupil-less blue eyes. He glanced at the other boy by her side, chubby with swirls on his cheeks. It suddenly clicked in his head, who they were. The chubby one was an Akimichi, the girl must be a Yamanaka, and that meant that the one under him was a Nara.

Oh! Really, Lee should have known. Shikamaru looked a lot like his father, to the point that Lee slightly wanted to call him Shi-san just for fun. He had met the man with Kakashi before he'd been brought to Konoha. It had only been the two who found him…

The Ino-Shika-Chou was a famous group, these had to be their children. He'd seen them around but he hadn't taken a closer look before.

Lee finally stood up and looked down at the Nara to find him staring. Lee felt an odd sense of…embarrassment? It was vague and not really there like most of his 'emotions'. Lee gave the Nara a smile and offered a hand. It took a moment, with the Nara looking him over once again before he sighed and took Lee's hand, lazily getting to his feet.

"Hey, you're a kunoichi? I don't remember seeing you anywhere…" The girl said with a tile of her head, "You don't look that much older than us too."

Lee tilted his head, making his softly waved hair move with him. He could say that he wasn't a kunoichi but that would give away his disguise and really, he liked this too much. He smiled 'politely' but before he could say anything, she spoke again.

"You're wearing scented make-up too. You shouldn't do that, you could get sniffed out on missions." She said and Lee was curious to notice that she actually sounded concerned.

Lee felt amused and finally spoke, "Thank you for the concern but there are missions where make-up is permitted. Yes, I am a shinobi, a Genin if you wish to know." Then Lee turned to Shikamaru and bowed, "I apologize again, I truly did not mean to run into you."

In fact, it was surprising that he had. Usually he could save himself –on the extremely rare chance he did run into a person- but the arms that had wrapped around him had prevented that. Was the Nara actually trying to save him from an unpleasant fall? How…odd…and

' **Charming. I think I like this boy, he has intelligence in his gaze.** ' Mother said, making Lee straighten and focus on Shikamaru again. He hummed then said,

"I am sorry to have interrupted you three. I will be on my way now." Lee smile politely at all three then passed them to leave.

"Oh." Lee suddenly said, stopping just before he passed Shikamaru and turned, "Thank you for protecting me."

Vaguely, Lee noticed Shikamaru's ears turning red but he leaned towards the boy and kissed his cheek in thanks, leaving behind a soft red imprint. The red color from his ears quickly traveled to his face and Lee could hear the other two snort –the Akimichi- and giggle –the Yamanaka-.

"Shikamaru, are you _blushing_ ~!" The girl laughed delightfully as Lee left and just before Lee got out of range he could hear Shikamaru stutter, "S-shut it, Ino."

' _ **Huh…cute. I suppose there are others who are interesting in this village.**_ ' Lee thought, allowing mother in on his thoughts.

' **Yes, as I said, I like the intelligence in his eyes. He could be a good mate in the future depending…** '

Lee's brows furrowed for a moment, ' _ **Mate…you mean it is time for me to look?**_ '

' **Yes, the sooner the better, Kitten. You are a ninja of Konoha and ninja have always had short lifespans.** '

Lee nodded then turned towards his apartment building. He'd report to the Hokage after changing. A half hour later, he looked like his 'normal' self again, wearing his normal black outfit and his hair braided tightly. He jumped from his window and went to the tower.

He gave his report and the information gathered along with a scroll holding the information he'd written down himself. After he was dismissed, he allowed himself to think on his promise to Naruto and immediately went off searching for the bright boy.

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Lee found Naruto walking along the 'road', heading towards where he knew Ichiraku was. He huffed a slight laugh and silently made his way to the brightly colored boy then wrapped his arms around the short boy.

"Naruto-kun~" Lee purred into Naruto's ear, making the boy jump then suddenly whip around and Lee found himself in a _tight_ hold.

"Lee!" Naruto said, voice oozing happiness.

Lee felt a strange warmth in his chest but ignored it and hugged Naruto back, "I am back." He said with a soft _real_ laugh in his tone.

"Welcome back!" Naruto said, pressing his face against Lee's chest then looked up at him.

Lee found himself chuckling and he nudged Naruto's goggles up to kiss the boy's forehead. He let his lips linger for a moment as Naruto made a happy sound then pulled back and teased, "Are you still willing to endure my company for a meal?"

"Of course! Let's go!" Naruto shouted and pulled back, grabbing Lee's hand. He paused for a moment and looked at Lee but when Lee only tilted his head in question, Naruto grinned widely and pulled the slightly older boy along.

Lee smiled and followed. Naruto lead him back to his own apartment surprisingly quick despite only being there once before. It made Lee chuckle again and though the feelings Naruto brought out of him were vague, they were still _emotions_ and that was more than he could say he's had before.

He could remember a time though, years ago when he'd spent a month with his Angel. He'd felt so many things that it was like ecstasy. His Angel taught him so many things... Lee felt his cheeks begin to burn softly as he thought back. He swallowed and shivered in remembrance then quickly forced his mind back to the present even as he heard Mother giggle and purr in his head.

"This is it right?" Naruto's voice cut through Lee's thoughts and he looked up to see his apartment building.

"Yes, very nice Naruto-kun~, I am surprised that you remembered!" Lee said, making himself smile.

Naruto blushed and rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, but he didn't give an explanation. Lee lead Naruto inside and to his kitchen. He got out the ingredients needed for curry.

"You do not mind my curry, correct?" Lee asked as he began cooking.

"Nah! I like it a lot! Not as much as ramen but it's really up there!" Naruto exclaimed, rocking on his seat as he watched Lee with bright eyes.

Lee giggled softly, feeling a vague sense of amusement for the blond boy. He nodded and began cutting up vegetables for the food.

"What have you been up to since I have been gone, Naruto-kun?"

"W-well, I got to train a little but mostly I've been doing pranks! I painted the hokage mountain!" Naruto said, laughing but then rubbed the back of his head sheepishly, "But Iruka-sensei caught me and I got yelled at. But! I got him back with my special sexy technique jutsu!"

"Sexy Technique...?" Lee repeated, pausing in his cooking to look at Naruto in confusion.

"Yeah! All the perverts fall for it!"

"What do you mean?" Lee tilted his head like a cat, still confused. A sexy technique just sounded odd, how does being...sexy, translate into a jutsu?

"Ah..." Naruto flushed red. Usually he was proud and eager to show off any of his jutsu, especially the one he made himself but he felt a little embarrassed now. Showing Lee would be different and felt a little wrong. Naruto shook his head and pushed the feeling away, "It's a jutsu that turns me into a girl."

Lee's heart jumped and he could feel Mother perk up in his head, "Turns you into a girl?" Lee repeated, holding in his breathless feeling, "Like...a real girl or just a henge?"

"Well...a real one. I only keep it up for a little while though." Naruto said, looking away.

"Will you show me?" Lee asked, forcing himself not to show how eager, how desperate he felt. The emothion was so sharp in his body and mind that his entire being threatened to tremble.

Being a real girl, a real woman. If it could...maybe he...

"Are you sure?" Naruto asked

"Yes, you created this jutsu, correct? That is an amazing feat on its own. I would like to see it completely." Lee said with a smile, hiding his shaking hands.

Naruto perked up and jumped out of his seat with an eager nod, "Okay! Sexy no Jutsu!" Naruto put his hands together in the correct hand-signs then there was an explosion of smoke that quickly cleared though some stayed behind to cover a nude woman who stood before Lee.

Lee blinked and stared at Naruto's female form. He analyzed it as much as he could, his mind racing with the hand-signs he'd seen. Even Mother was anxious in his mind and he could hear her mutter about possibilities.

"That really is something." Lee said, "Is it as complex as it seems? I would like to know your thought process on this, how exactly do you turn into a female?"

A poof came again and Naruto was standing in front of Lee with a wide grin, "Really? It's good?!"

"Yes, it really is." Lee said, and though he did mean it, Lee had to hold back a low current of irritation. He wanted Naruto to tell him how to do the jutsu, to see if he could alter it enough for his own purpose.

"Hehe~" Naruto grinned wider in pride, "Well, all you gotta do is just think of what you want. I had to learn about the female body to get it right so that's what I have to do."

"Ah..." Lee hummed, finally turning back to the food just in time to add the finishing touches, "So the jutsu changes your external and internal organs in order to give the most convincing outcome. It is not merely an illusion but a reality you have made..." Lee shivered with pleasure and purred softly.

"Naruto-kun...that is absolutely _amazing_." He said, turning his head to give Naruto a wide _genuine_ smile that showed off his bright though sharp cat-like teeth.

Naruto felt his heart jump and warmth spread through his body. He grinned wide enough for his cheeks to ache and had to turn his head to hide how glassy his eyes had become. He felt like crying and laughing at the same time, both in a good way. He liked this, no, he loved this. He felt proud and smart and he didn't even know what else, and it was thanks to Lee.

Lee, he really, _really_ liked Lee.

A glass plate clinked softly on the table as Lee placed the food in front of Naruto.

"Eat up." He said before placing a hand on Naruto's head and running his fingers through the soft hair, "Have as much as you want too."

"Okay!" Naruto did as Lee said and ate. He ate and ate and asked for seconds then thirds.

By the time Naruto was done, the boy felt full, sleepy, and for once...safe. It was because of that he rested his head on the table, simply waiting for Lee to finish cleaning up so they could walk to his own -cold, lonely- apartment together. Only, Naruto fell asleep.

When Lee was done, he noticed Naruto softly snoring and the smile on the blonds slumbering face. His heart skipped in his chest then he felt _warm_. Almost without even thinking about it, Lee slowly picked the boy up and carried him to the bedroom. Lee then stripped Naruto of his shoes, goggles, jacket, and pants, leaving the boy in a t-shirt and his boxers. Naruto didn't wake once as Lee tucked him under the covered then joined him after changing.

Lee pressed up against Naruto and curled around him like a cat would for her kittens. It felt odd yet...right, to wrap his arms around the shorter boy and practically cradle him. A soft purr rumbled from his chest and Lee felt his lips twitch into a real smile again.

' **Naruto has given us something truly remarkable...** '

' _ **Yes...now we...he has...**_ ' Lee couldn't even form a coherent thought but the warmth in his chest knew no bounds, ' _ **Naruto...if this works, I will owe him so very much.**_ '

' **If this works...** '

' _ **He will belong to us. I will not allow anything to happen to what is**_ _ **mine**_ _ **.**_ ' Lee's eyes flashed white for a moment as he stared at Naruto's sleeping form then his closed them.

' **Yes.** ' Matatabi said in complete agreement, her own purr echoing in Lee's mind as he surrendered to slumber.

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Morning broke through nights' darkness and Lee woke with the sun. He blinked sleepily and he tensed as he felt something shift in his arms and nuzzle into him. Luckily, Lee's mind clicked and reminded him that it was Naruto before he could have a chance to dig dagger-like claws into his body.

He looked down at the blond demon holder and felt himself start to smile. A chant of 'mine' echoed in his head and a purr started in Lee's chest. Instinct had him pressing a kiss to Naruto's head before slipping out of bed. He looked back and watched Naruto sigh happily and curl into the warm spot Lee's body had left.

Lee smiled a little wider and quickly got ready for the day, absently sliding senbon into his braided hair before going into the kitchen with Naruto's jacket and pants. He washed them before beginning breakfast. He hummed quietly as he cooked a healthy breakfast with rice, fish, and buttered vegetables. He set it on plates and set them out before going back into his bedroom after picking up Naruto's now clean clothes.

Naruto was still sleeping peacefully in Lee's bed though he was now laying in a spread position with his limbs everywhere. Lee giggled and sat next to the boy, reaching out and cupping Naruto's whiskered cheek.

"Naru..." Lee whispered gently, "Wake up, my little Naru. Breakfast is ready."

Naruto grumbled in his sleep then his blue eyes opened and he looked at Lee blearily. He made another noise then nuzzled Lee's hand, mumbling Lee's name happily.

"Naru..." Lee whispered again, leaning down to nuzzle Naruto's face. Soon, Naruto began laughing from Lee's bangs tickling his skin and he opened his eyes.

The boy was half confused but felt safe and warm. He blinked and looked at Lee before remembering what happened. He grinned widely, his heart racing excitedly in his chest and he wanted to latch onto Lee and never let go.

"Morning Lee. Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep." Naruto said, slightly blushing.

"It is alright, Naru. I was happy for the company. Now, I have made breakfast. You have an hour to eat and get ready for school." Lee said, stroking Naruto's cheek before getting up.

"Food!" Naruto jumped up, body racing with excited energy and he was still grinning, "Thanks Lee!"

"Of course." Lee giggled softly, "Now get dressed. I have cleaned your clothes and you can take a quick shower if you wish."

Naruto nodded and grabbed his clothes before running to the bathroom. Suddenly, he ran back out and practically tackled Lee in a tight hug. Lee grunted slightly from the force but wrapped his arms around Naruto. Naruto nuzzled into Lee's chest, whispering "Thank you..." before turning and running back into the bathroom.

Lee stared at the closed door then softly laughed as he heard the shower turn on. He turned and went back into the kitchen to add a little more veggies to their meal.

' **He is becoming more attached.** ' Matatabi said, voice pleased.

' _ **Good is it not? We can only make sure that this continues.**_ ' Lee thought back as he broke broccoli trees and steamed them.

' **Yes, though, I wonder what Kurama thinks of this. He might be angry.** ' Her voice was careless though, like it didn't matter if the fox was.

' _ **That matters not. All that is important is our Naru now.**_ ' Lee felt his lips slowly stretch into a slightly demented grin, ' _ **When we drop Naru off at school, we can try the jutsu.**_ '

Lee heard Mother purr loudly in his head and smiled. He turned his head as Naruto rushed into the kitchen and placed the finished veggies with the rest. He quickly grabbed fresh milk and poured a glass for them both.

"Thank you for the food!" Naruto chirped and Lee smiled.

"Of course." Lee said, ruffling Naruto's hair, "Now eat up. I'll take you to the Academy after."

Naruto smiled into his food and nodded quickly as he ate. Lee chuckled softly as Naruto made sounds of happiness and ate his food as well. Soon they were finished and Lee was dropping Naruto off at the Academy.

Lee tilted his head as Naruto stopped at the entrance and shuffled on his feet. The boy looked around a tad nervously and Lee didn't know what Naruto wanted.

"Naru?" Lee questioned.

"U-uh, no, nothing. I'll see you later?" Naruto asked

"Of course. Today is exam day, I will take you out for a celebratory dinner afterwards." Lee smiled, "So, do your best. I will be here to pick you up if you do not mind."

Naruto's lips stretched into a wide grin once again. He nodded eagerly, practically beaming like the sun. Lee laughed softly and stepped forward, wrapping Naruto in one last hug. It was vaguely surprising how tightly Naruto hugged him back, enough to make his breathing shallow. This must have been what Naruto wanted then.

Lee moved Naruto's goggles to press a kiss to Naruto's forehead then set them back before whispering, "Anytime you want a hug, do not be afraid. I will always accept you, my little Naru."

Naruto's hug tightened even further and Lee heard the boy sniffle. Naruto nuzzled Lee quickly before letting go and grinning, "Okay! I'll see you later, believe it!"

"Yosh." Lee said with a soft smile and watched Naruto run off.

Lee turned to leave and noticed the adults staring at him. A vague sense of irritation filled him and Lee's expression flattened. His hands twitched and his fingers curled like claws. Pathetic, these civilians and low class shinobi looking as if they didn't belong. Human's like them didn't _deserve_ his Naru.

"How troublesome..." A familiar voice mumbled and Lee was pulled out of his thoughts.

Lee looked to see Shikamaru meandering towards the academy and his mouth moved before he could think about it, "Shikamaru-kun?"

Shikamaru stopped and looked at Lee with vague confusion, "Hm?" He mumbled and his brows furrowed for a moment, "Do I know you?"

Lee tilted his head then smiled, "Forgotten me so soon? We have only met yesterday."

"Yesterday, but-" Shikamaru suddenly stopped and his face turned red as it clicked in his mind, "But you-...oh." He scrubbed a hand over his red face, "Troublesome!" he said, obviously flustered as he continued his way into the academy with a quicker speed.

Lee giggled and felt his lips form a real smile. Strange, now this was three. Three people who actually made him want to smile. Well, four in truth. He would never forget his Fallen Angel. He turned to leave but stopped as he heard Shikamaru call for him to wait. Lee looked back once more towards the blushing Nara.

"You...what's your name?" Shikamaru asked, hands in his pockets as he looked away.

"...Lee, my name is Rock Lee." Lee said, "I hope to see you again soon, Shikamaru-kun."


	5. Chapter 5

Lee felt a funny feeling rise within him at the remembrance of Shikamaru. The boy made something flutter inside his stomach, just like his Angel. Maybe it was because the boy reminded him of his Angel; the same intelligent eyes and even the same scent. Both smelled like the forest though Shikamaru had the added scent of Sandalwood while his Angel smelt like herbs.

Lee shook his head as he stepped into his apartment. He spread his senses to make sure that no one was around and felt a rush of satisfaction when no one was.

' **It is time, Kitten. Do it.** ' Matatabi spoke, voice eager and slightly impatient.

"Yesss~" Lee purred and placed his hands together. He thought of the female body, inside and out and made his chakra encase him. He thought of how he wanted to look and whispered the jutsu name as smoke erupted.

When it cleared, he was nude and he felt added weight on his front. Lee looked down and saw small but perky boobs. He ran his hands over his body and noticed that he could feel it as if it were real. His heart skipped and he ran to his bedroom where his full length mirror was. When he looked, he saw that he looked just like himself when he wore make-up. The only true differences were the changed parts. His chest was small but perky and his hips had widened delightfully. Hips that would help if he truly had female organs.

His breath hitched and he said, "Mother please, check!"

' **Already on it.** ' Matatabi said and he could feel her demonic chakra rushing through his insides. His own chakra was slowly draining to keep up the change, but he estimated that if he did nothing else, he could keep the jutsu up for a year without any help.

Matatabi suddenly began purring like a motor and Lee was bombarded with the feeling of happiness and pleasure from his 'Mother'.

"Is it?" Lee asked, feeling breathless from the second hand emotions.

' **Yes! Female organs, and with my help we can make them functioning female organs! You have no eggs but I can change that.** ' Matatabi purred louder, ' **With this, we can have a family. We can have reall kittens...** '

Lee felt his eyes burn and a foreign feeling of happiness fill him. He gasped and pressed his hand over his heart. It felt so strong, this feeling. He'd never really felt it this much, always second hand or just vague, but right now it felt like he was drowning in the best way. Laughter burst from his lips and water dripped down his cheeks.

"Mother...mother, we can, I can, it is not impossible!" Lee laughed, "Thank you Naru! Thank you!"

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Lee didn't know how long he spent like that but hours later he'd changed back after analyzing every part of himself. It was quickly coming upon the time to pick Naruto up so Lee left his place and roof jumped until he got to the academy. He was eager to see his Naru.

Children came out, most rushing excitedly and Lee expected Naruto to be one of them but he couldn't see the blond demon holder. He made a sound of discontent and stopped a child who was walking slowly from the building.

"Excuse me," Lee touched the black haired boys shoulder, absently noticing the Uchiha crest upon his back, "Uchiha-kun."

The Uchiha turned and for a moment, Lee felt breathless. The boy bore a startling resemblance to his Angel...Then again, it shouldn't have been considering who his Angel was.

"Hm?" Sasuke made a sound, slightly frowning.

"I am looking for Naruto, do you know where he is?" Lee asked, making his lips form a polite smile.

"...Why are you looking for the Dope?" Sasuke said, suddenly looking Lee up and down. His eyes were slightly narrowed but then he scoffed and said, "Tch, Dead last is probably hiding since he didn't pass the exam." he shrugged carelessly.

Lee blinked and felt a little more than just a vague sense of irritation. He hummed softly and lifted his hand to cup Sasuke's cheek, making the boy look at him. Sasuke's eyes widened slightly when Lee leaned in close and he found himself holding his breath.

Lee smiled dangerously as he looked at Sasuke with eyes that were only half open, "Now now, little Uchiha. I do not find that very kind of you to say..." his voice was a purr that didn't match his words, "You see, I owe my Naru a great deal and I dislike hearing anyone insult him..."

Lee leaned even closer, making Sasuke tense and Lee could feel the boy's pulse quicken under his fingertips.

"So I will say this only once. Speak like that again and I will have to _punish_ you."

Sasuke's face suddenly burned red and he stumbled away, "W-what the h-hell, you-!"

Lee slowly tilted his head, confusion rising as his anger slowly lowered thanks to how the boy was acting. How...odd... Lee raised an eyebrow then tapped his lips in thought. He saw Sasuke's eyes dart slightly down for a moment and his face somehow got redder. It made Lee subtly from but he pushed it away and said,

"Remember my warning, Little Uchiha." then walked away.

Lee spread his senses and quickly found Kurama's chakra. He looked off towards the feeling and took off. He closed in on Kurama's chakra and jumped onto the roof right above the ledge Naruto sat on. Lee's brows furrowed as a silver haired man jumped away, having seemingly been speaking to Naruto beforehand.

"Naru?" Lee called out, making Naruto slightly jump in surprise. Naruto turned around with wide eyes then looked away when he saw Lee.

"L-Lee..." Naruto mumbled, voice low.

Lee jumped down and sat next to the boy, "Shame on you Naru, you made me look for you." he softly teased as he raised his hand to ruffle the boy's hair. He felt Naruto press into his hand and Lee scooted closer, pulling Naruto against him.

"Sorry..." Naruto mumbled, pressing closer to Lee's side, "...I guess you know huh?"

"About the exam?" Lee asked then nodded, "Yes..."

"I'm gonna pass. Believe it." Naruto said, "Mizuki-sensei told me how, so tomorrow, I'll have my headband."

Lee smiled, "Believe I do. I would never doubt you Naru. I have faith in you."

Naruto pressed harder against Lee and hugged him tightly. Lee breathed sharply, taking shallow breaths but he smiled and hugged Naruto back.

"So, in early celebration, let's go eat, okay?" Lee said, looking down.

"Okay! Let's go get ramen!" Naruto exclaimed.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Hours later, Lee was in his bedroom staring at the moon. He touched his fingertips to the cold glass and sighed. He felt Mother relaxing in his head stretching out to fill every corner of his mind then settling in a small corner.

Then, the alarms came, calling every shinobi from Chunin up.

' **What is happening?** ' Matatabi spoke, suddenly sharp and aware.

' _ **I do not know but-**_ ' Lee felt worry and quickly opened his window. He jumped out despite only having on his turtle neck and pants, and roof hopped to where Naruto's chakra was. He frowned as his senses were leading him to the forest instead of Naruto's apartment building.

Getting a bad feeling, Lee ran, his body becoming a blur as he raced towards Naruto's chakra. He jumped into the tree's and abruptly stopped right before the clearing Naruto was in. He let out a quiet breath when he saw that Naruto was unharmed but was confused to see a large scroll upon Naruto's back. He stayed there, silent as death, and watched as Naruto put everything into learning what Lee quickly figured out to be the forbidden technique Shadow Clone Jutsu.

Content now, Lee sat comfortably on the branch and watched Naruto try, over and over again, to get the jutsu right. Consequentially, it made Lee memorize it as well, but Lee felt so proud when Naruto finally got it.

Then, the Chunin Iruka came into the clearing. Lee sat up and tensed as he listened to their conversation and he found himself fighting a growl at what he heard. How dare this...Mizuki, lie to his Naruto! Then Iruka was pushing Naruto out of the way and taking a shuriken in the back.

Iruka's speech had Lee changing his opinion about the man and he followed Naruto when he ran. He caught up quickly and found Mizuki following as well and that was when Lee had enough. He jumped down in Mizuki's path, forcing the man to stop.

"What?! Who are you?! Get out of my way!" Mizuki growled.

Lee only looked at the man with death in his eyes and shot forward, grabbing the man by his neck and forcing him against the tree. He ignored the man's struggles and slowly smiled.

"You...you dared to try and hurt what is _mine_." Lee hissed lowly, making the man freeze, "You tried to hurt my kitten, my Naru."

"You're with that fucking monster?!" Mizuki grunted and struggled again, "Dammit, how the fuck can a-"

" _ **Shut up.**_ " Lee's voice was suddenly soft and feminine but _dangerous_ , " _ **You will die now.**_ "

Lee pulled back his free hand and his nails lengthened, gleaming with their sharpness. Mizuki made a sound of fear and Lee straightened his hand to plunge it into Mizuki's chest when he heard something- someone.

"L-Lee?" Naruto's voice came and Lee's head snapped to the side.

"Naru?" Lee question, his voice suddenly back to normal, "What are you doing, kitten? Go to Iruka, I will take care of this thing."

"W-wha? B-but...when?" Naruto stuttered over his words, nervous.

"When did I get here?" Lee questioned and at Naruto's nod, he answered, "I have been here since this started."

Naruto jerked in surprise then his expression twisted into something pained, "T-then...you know?"

Lee's brows furrowed in confusion then rose as he realized what Naruto was speaking of. "Oh Naru..." he said, fondness in his tone. Naruto looked up in surprise and stared at Lee.

"Let me-" Mizuki began but then choked as Lee tightened his grip on the man's throat enough to block any air.

" _ **I do not believe I was talking to you.**_ " Lee hissed, fury in his tone.

"L-lee?" Naruto's voice snapped Lee out of his anger and he quickly looked back at the blond and smiled.

"Sorry, Naru. It seems like this man is incredibly rude. Anyway, as I was going to say, that does not matter. I have known for a while now, it was not hard to figure out at all."

"What? But you've been- then you've known...even yesterday?" Naruto asked, eyes wide, and when Lee nodded, he began to tear up.

"Kitten..." Lee said with a soft smile, "I told you earlier that I would always have faith in you. Now let me add something else to that promise. I will always care for you and protect you. You being a demon holder will never change that. Nothing will ever change that. Understand?"

Naruto sniffled and quickly wiped his eyes before smiling widely and nodding quickly.

"Good! Now go get Iruka to the hospital. Do not tell him that I was here okay?"

"Okay!" Naruto nodded and ran off with the scroll, a grin still on his face.

Lee smiled and shook his head fondly.

"My kitten, so full of energy. He is too trusting of strange people, I swear. After all, I never did think you were a nice person, Mizuki-san." Lee turned dead eyes back on the man that was slowly turning blue, "Now that my little Naru is gone, I will dispose of you. The best part is that the Hokage approves. He is watching after all, it is only common sense..."

Lee shoved his dagger-like nails into Mizuki's body and shredded his insides without letting the five puncture marks rip open further. He pressed on Mizuki's vocal box to silence his screaming then destroyed that too before letting him bleed out on the ground and die in agony.

Lee licked the blood from his nails and shivered in pleasure.

"Rest in hell, you piece of trash." Lee whispered then left the clearing.

' **Good job Kitten~** ' Mother purred in his head and Lee echoed the sound, ' **Soon all will know not to touch those who are claimed by us.** '

' _ **Yes, but it will take some time as only the Hokage knows of this kill.**_ '

' **All in due time Kitten, just remember not to lose yourself.** '

' _ **Yes, mother.**_ ' Lee took off, running back home.

He got back just in time to see the sun rising and felt himself smile again. A nap was in order, then he would go and find Naruto again.

Though, when he woke up, Naruto was in the bed with him and his new hiate-ate was on the bedside table alongside his goggles.

Lee blinked in surprise then smiled and curled around his kitten, nuzzling into Naruto's hair. He pressed a soft kiss to Naruto's hair then froze as he heard Nartuo's mumble sleepily. Warmth rushed through him and Lee held Naruto tightly.

' _ **Mother...he called me Kaa-chan.**_ '


	6. Chapter 6

That morning was a bit hectic as Lee quickly took a shower, cleaned up, ran to Naruto's apartment to grab some of his clean clothes, then came back and cooked breakfast. By the time Lee finally woke Naruto, the boy only had a half hour to clean up and eat before getting to the Academy. He had Naruto eat first as he got the shower ready then had him shower as he got his clothes ready.

"Okay, I will meet you during lunch so you can tell me about your team. Okay?" Lee said as they came upon the Academy gates.

"Yeah, sounds great!" Naruto said before turning and practically tackling Lee in a hug, "Bye k- Lee!" Naruto corrected himself so quickly that Lee couldn't really tell what he was about to say.

"Bye, my little kitten." Lee said shamelessly and hugged Naruto back, kissing his head before letting him go, "I will see you later!"

"See you later!" Naruto called out as he ran into the building.

Lee smiled and stared for a moment longer before the person who'd been following them had finally revealed itself. Lee slowly turned his head and stared at the ANBU operative and tilted his head in question.

"The Hokage wishes to speak with you now." The person said, their mask disguising their voice.

"Of course." Lee said and turned completely. Truthfully, he had been expecting this. He took off, calmly running towards the Hokage tower.

He jumped to the window and tapped the back of his nails against the glass out od common curtesy. Sarutobi already knew he was there, of course he did, but it was just normal to formally announce it. Lee slid the window open and slunk into the room.

"Hokage-sama." Lee greeted, a vaguely mocking smile on his lips. He did respect the Hokage though, just, he hated him as well. The man was kind to him but Lee was still his weapon, but it was thanks to that kindness that Lee didn't lie to the man. He didn't fake anything, he didn't hide. Sarutobi deserved that much.

"Lee-kun." Sarutobi greeted then sighed, "I did indeed see what happened last night." he said, "And it is because of that I must ask, what do you plan to do?"

Lee hummed, slightly tilting his head, "You mean, what do I plan to do to this village, yes?"

Sarutobi hid it well but he tensed and nodded his affirmation.

"I will not endanger this village. You have taken me in and honestly, if I must still be a weapon for someone, I would rather it be Konoha...but Naruto has my invested interest and I will not tolerate anyone trying to kill him. So, Mizuki had to die." Lee spoke honestly, a calm look upon his face.

"Naruto has gained your interest?" Sarutobi repeated, the question of why and how clear in his voice.

"Yes, you see...Naruto has unknowingly given me something precious. It is thanks to that, that I can fulfil a...dream of mine. Therefore, I will keep watch over him and I will not let anything stop that." Lee said then a smile appeared on his face, "So I must 'ask' you, Hokage-sama. Since Naruto is a Genin now, I would like to have the option of coming along with his team should they receive a mission outside of Konoha."

Sarutobi stared at Lee for a few moments before sighing. He nodded once, "I can accept your terms. I would also like to see Naruto protected. He is...a special boy."

"That he is." Lee's smile turned vaguely warm then he bowed to the Hokage, for once not the mockingly low bow, "If that is all, I would like to get back. I had told Naruto I would meet him for lunch."

"Yes, you may leave." Sarutobi smiled and Lee left as quickly as he came.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee stood at the entrance to the Academy, waiting as lunch rolled around. His ears twitched as he heard the children get up from their class rooms and focused until he could hear Naruto's voice. Lee's lips twitched in amusement and he pushed himself from the fence, walking into the lot to meet up. He looked around and followed Naruto's chakra until he saw Naruto seemingly about to jump into a window. Lee's brows furrowed in confusion and he tilted his head in confusion.

"Naruto!" Lee called out, making Naruto jolt and almost fall. The boy looked towards him and seemed to forget what he was about to do as he called back, shouting his name and waving with both arms.

Lee giggled and smiled again, feeling a vague sense of amusement once more.

"Lee, I'll be right down!" Naruto called out then went back inside the building, seeming to go get something before meeting him.

"Cute…" Lee murmured then his eyes roamed until he spotted a familiar face looking at him from over a rooftop railing. Lee felt his cheeks warm and he raised his hand, waving at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru seemed to jolt and look away from him but his hand rose and he waved back so Lee guessed that the boy wasn't avoiding him at least. Suddenly, he saw the Yamanaka girl peek over the railing and she started waving at him as well then motioning him to come up.

Lee tilted his head then shrugged and jumped, easily reaching the small rooftop. He landed on the railing, crouching like a cat as he said, "Hello again."

"Huh? Wait, I thought-" The girl began, confusion playing on her face.

"It's the same person Ino." Shikamaru said, his cheeks slightly red now that Lee looked.

"What?!" Ino looked at Shikamaru then to Lee then back again before settling her eyes on Lee, "You're that girl from before?! But-…?"

"Yes, I am sorry, but I had just come back from a mission where a disguise was needed for quickest completion. It is a pleasure to formally meet you though. My name is Lee." Lee said, an easy smile on his lips.

"Oh, y-yeah. I'm Ino, and this is Chouji. The one lazing is Shikamaru. Pleased to meet you." Ino said, slightly bowing her head.

"Hi." Chouji said, pausing in his eating for just a moment. He glanced at Shikamaru then to Lee, after another moment, he offered his bag and said, "Chip?"

Lee blinked then gave Chouji a slightly warmer smile and took a single chip, saying "Thank you very much." before popping it in his mouth. He blinked again in surprise and said, "Oh! This is good."

Chouji smiled and nodded quickly before eating again. Lee was suddenly thinking of chipmunks with their cheeks puffed out as he looked at Chouji and he couldn't help but find the chubby boy cute. Then, Lee let his eyes travel to the he -oddly- wanted to see the most.

Shikamaru's eyes locked with his and Lee felt a strange fluttering in his stomach again. This time, Shikamaru didn't look away and the fluttering sensation grew until Lee was the one to look away first. His cheeks felt oddly warm and he noticed Ino's expression turning…sly, for lack of a better word.

"So, _Lee_ ~" Ino said, a smile lifting her lips, "What do you like to do for fun?"

"Hm…?" Lee tilted his head in confusion but he still answered, "Fun…? Well…I read from time to time. I train?..." He didn't really consider those fun activities but things to pass the time and help him grow. There was one thing though… "To be honest, the thing I like to do the most is sleep somewhere warm."

Ino's eyes seemed to dance and her smile turned vaguely cat-like. Mother began giggling in his head and he sent her his confusion but she didn't answer him.

"Do you like to play Shogi? Or Go?" Ino asked and when Lee looked at the other two, Chouji was smiling and Shikamaru's face was red but they weren't saying anything.

"They are very interesting games, so yes, I do. I do not get to play often though." Lee answered slowly.

"Oh, what a coincidence! Shikamaru plays as well, and he was just complaining about his lack of opponents!" Ino said happily, "Why don't you two play together?"

Lee blinked then smiled, "I would not mind that, if Shikamaru-kun does not."

Shikamaru shifted and shoved his hands into his pockets, "…It wouldn't be that troublesome."

Lee's smile grew just slightly, "Then I-" Lee suddenly stopped as he felt Naruto's chakra coming, "I will visit your home and you can decide where, alright?" Lee smiled at Shikamaru, "Please expect me either tomorrow or the day after."

After Shikamaru nodded, Lee jumped from the railing and landed back on the ground with no sound. He stood and walked off to meet Naruto at the door.

"You ready?" Lee asked as Naruto stepped out of the building.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Naruto cheered and Lee had to giggle.

"Oh, wait. Why do we not invite your new team mates?" Lee asked.

Naruto made a disgruntled sound, putting his hands behind his head, "We can invite Sakura-chan! But I don't want the bastard with us. I still can't believe I'm on a team with _him_." He scrunched his nose in annoyance.

Lee looked at Naruto than sighed as he knew what he had to do, though he didn't actually care about the others. He stopped Naruto and put his hand on the boy's shoulder, "Now, Naru..." he began, "You will not be able to become Hokage with an attitude like that. Do you think that Hokage has people he hates or dislikes? Of couse he probably does but being the Hokage means he loves everyone of Konoha."

Lee paused to make sure that Naruto was still listening and was surprised to see how eagerly Naruto was. Those blue eyes were focusing on him with a type a reverence that made him want to shift but he continued.

"Konoha prides itself on the bonds it builds, of friendship and teamwork. That is what the Will of Fire is, it is their will to fight for their fellow shinobi, to die for their cause and their beliefs... Do you understand?" Lee finished. He still felt odd, speaking of things he didn't believe in but Naruto wanted to be Hokage so this would only help him with his dream.

Naruto took a moment before nodding determinedly, "Okay." He said, "Let's go get Sakura-chan and Sasuke-teme then. We can all bond over ramen!" he grinned and Lee smiled back at the boy.

"Yes, a wonderful idea." Lee said, pressing a kiss to Naruto's head before taking his hand and walking.

Thanks to meeting the boy beforehand, Lee knew what Sasuke's chakra felt like and they found him first. They found the boy sitting alone in a room and the moment he spotted him, he tensed and his ears gained a red tint.

"Y-you!" Sasuke said, looking straight at Lee.

"Me?" Lee tilted his head in confusion and the red tint traveled from Sasuke's ears to his cheeks. Mother laughed in his head and Lee felt almost irritated at the lack of answers he was getting.

"What's wrong with you Teme?" Narutp said, his face scrunching slightly like earlier.

"Naru." Lee said, giving him a look, "I hope you don't mean that in a hostile way."

Naruto scratched the side of his nose and shrugged, "Seems weird to call him anything else now."

"Tch, dobe." Sasuke scoffed, slightly scowling.

Lee sighed, "I suppose that this is the best I can hope for, for now. As long as there is no real hostile intent, I will consider these boyish nicknames." He shook his head then looked at Sasuke and smiled, "We came here to invite you to a team lunch. Would you quietly come with us?"

Sasuke's eyes widened slightly and his cheeks got redder. He shoved his hands into his pockets and scoffed before walking. He scowled at the ground and said nothing else.

"Wonderful! Let's go Naru, Sasuke-kun has agreed to come!" Lee said with a happy tone.

Naruto looked at Sasuke weirdly before shrugging then grinning, "Now to get Sakura-chan!"

"Yes, but I do not know how to find her. So we will leave that to you." Lee said then made a noise of surprise when Naruto grabbed his hand and began running. Lee quickly grabbed Sasuke's arm, pulling him along as well.

By the time Naruto found Sakura and finally slowed down, Lee noticed that he had gone from holding Sasuke's arm to holding his hand. He blinked and stared down at their interlocked hands. He looked up at Sasuke whom had his eyes closed, brows furrowed, and his face was still red. Lee blinked and felt vaguely concerned but then he shrugged and looked back towards Naruto who was trying to get Sakura. It seemed like he was failing... She didn't even look like she noticed them.

"Having trouble, Naru?" Lee questioned, walking closer and consequentially pulling Sasuke closer too.

They both looked at him and Sakura was suddenly blushing, saying, "S-sasuke-kun!"

Lee looked at Sasuke and raised an eyebrow. Sasuke looked away with a scowl, his face finally no longer red. Lee hummed then turned back to Sakura and smiled,

"Hello, has Naru asked you if you would like to join us for lunch?"

"I-is Sasuke-kun coming?" Sakura asked, cheeks pink as she shyly shifted on her feet.

"Well, it is a team mate lunch, so yes."

"Yes!" Sakura chirped, smiling widely, "I'll come!"

"Wonderful! Let us go then~"

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

By the time that they got to Ichiraku, Lee vaguely felt like committing murder, and it was because of Sakura. Now, he could tell that the girl was incredibly smart, but that intelligence just vanished when she spoke -or tried to speak- to Sasuke. It made Lee slightly want to strangle her.

This would have to be the first this to go. She _needed_ to calm down. She was polite to him at least, well, she had been until she noticed that him and Sasuke were still holding hands. Then she got cold, which was plain odd.

And then she began hostilely yelling at Naruto.

No.

That wasn't going to happen.

Lee stood up from his seat between Sasuke and Naruto and went to Sakura. He placed his hand on Sakura's shoulder, smiling a tad dangerously.

"Ah...excuse me, Sakura-chan, but I dislike it immensely when others treat Naruto poorly. This hostile manner of yours is not befitting of a new shinobi of Konoha."

Sakura's expression was half indignant and half shamed, and that was enough for him to work with.

"Do you not understand what it means to be a Konoha ninja?" Lee asked, mentally sending Sarutobi a thought that the man owed him for this. Then he mentally sighed.

' **You are doing quite a lot for this girl.** '

' _ **She is to be Naruto's team mate. I want to make sure that she will protect him and not just leave him the moment that there is danger or just run off after Sasuke.**_ ' Lee thought back.

"It means fighting for Konoha." She said, shifting in her seat as she looked up at Lee. She reminded him of a student wanting to learn or affirm what she already knew.

"That is only one portion. It means dying for Konoha, dying for that which you believe in. It means trusting your team and having them trust in you; watching their back as they watch yours. Being a ninja is no game. The moment you step outside these walls, there is all the chance that you will die beyond these walls, especially if you do not train yourself, believe in yourself, and trust your team." Lee smiled a little wider though his eyes showed no happiness.

"Your team is meant to be a second family, and you do not treat your family cruelly. Do you understand?" Lee finished with a tilt of his head.

' _ **I feel vaguely nauseous. This talk of family and trust does not sit well with me.**_ '

' **I understand, but like you said, this will help our kitten in the long run.** '

' _ **And that is the only reason why I am regurgitating this bile.**_ '

"Ah..." Sakura shifted, her expression flashing with regret. She looked away and towards Naruto before looking down at her bowl of Ramen, "...Sorry Naruto..."

Naruto looked surprised then grinned brightly, "S'okay Sakura-chan! Like Lee said, we're on the same team now!"

Sakura gave a little smile then blushed as Lee stroked her hair. The smile he gave made her feel kind of...proud. She quickly went back to eating her food despite the fact that she was meant to be on a diet.

Lee hummed happily and was glad when the meal ended with everyone chatting, well, mostly it was Sakura and Naruto but Sasuke made a few sounds here and there. All in all, Lee considered it a win.

When they got back to the academy with time to spare, Lee pulled Naruto into a tight hug. He kissed Naruto's head almost lovingly...at least, as much as someone like him could. He laughed as Naruto hugged him back and promised to come by after meeting their new Sensei. Lee told him that he better.

Then Lee turned to Sakura and stroked her hair, telling her that he couldn't wait to see what she could do as a shinobi. She blushed and smiled in a pleased manner, quickly nodding.

Lee smiled a little more genuinely then turned to Sasuke last who was still standing there. Lee chuckled softly and stared at the boy for a moment, taking note of how his cheeks slowly started turning red. Lee raised an eyebrow then leaned forward and kissed his cheek, thanking Sasuke for not being unnecessarily mean to Naruto. Sasuke's face shot completely red and he quickly walked away after Naruto and Sakura.

' _ **That boy is so odd...**_ ' Lee thought, staring at their fading figures.

' **Really Kitten, it is obvious how he is acting.** '

' _ **Then why do you not tell me!**_ ' Lee pouted, slightly put off by his Mother's lack of answers.

' **For once, I am going to keep my silence. This is too amusing, Kitten.** ' She giggled and purred.

Lee pouted softly but smiled in the end as Mother's happiness always made him feel vaguely happy as well. He sighed and jumped to the roof of the academy to wait for Naruto to come out again.


	7. Chapter 7

Lee yawned, feeling pleasantly sleepy as he relaxed on the academy rooftop. The sun shown down on him, warming his skin and making him purr. Lee yawned and curled up on the warm cement. His cracked an eye open as he felt Kakashi's chakra travel closer to the academy after three hours had passed.

' _ **It seems that Kakashi is Naruto's new sensei.**_ ' Lee smiled lazily, ' _ **How funny.**_ '

' **Yes very, but it is fortunate as well. At least Kakashi is one of the few who know the truth. This will make it easier on missions where Naruto must go out of Konoha.** '

Lee purred a little louder in pleasure at the thought then stopped as Kakashi appeared on the floor of the roof. He shifted and locked eyes with the Copy-nin. With a playful smile, Lee licked his lips and heard Kakashi chuckle in reaction. Then the new ninja of Team Seven came through the roof door. Lee stayed above them, hidden at the top of the roof entrance.

"Alright, why don't you introduce yourselves one at a time?" Kakashi said when they settled, his tone completely bored, like he could be doing something better.

"Introduce ourselves? Well...what are we supposed to say?" Sakura questioned.

Kakashi shrugged, "Things...you like, things you hate, dreams for the future, hobbies...things like that." his tone was still bored as he crossed his arms lazily.

"Why don't you tell us stuff first, I mean, before we talk, tell us about you so we can see how it's supposed to work." Naruto said, pleasantly surprising Lee.

' **Oh, that was good. I doubt Hatake will actually give any information though**.' Matatabi said and Lee had to agree with her, Kakashi wasn't the type…but that didn't mean that Lee wouldn't tell Naruto later.

"Me?" Kakashi said, pointing to himself, "I'm Hatake Kakashi...things I like and things I hate...I don't feel like telling you that."

' _ **How predictable…**_ '

"My dreams for the future..." Kakashi continued, "Never really thought about it. As for hobbies...I have lots of hobbies."

Lee smiled widely even as he could hear Sakura say that that had been completely useless and they had only learned Kakashi's name.

**'You could learn a lot from someone's name**.' Matatabi said, making Lee nod

_**'Yes, after all, Kakashi is very famous. I am surprised that they do not know the name Hatake considering Kakashi's father was the White Fang. Plus Kakashi's title is Kakashi of the Sharingan. Sasuke should know that, at least!**_ ' Lee sighed and shook his head, vaguely disappointed, ' _ **What are they teaching children these days…**_ '

"Okay, your turn. You on the right, you first." Kakashi said, talking about Naruto...as if he didn't know the boy.

"Believe it, I'm Uzumaki Naruto! I like Lee, and instant ramen in a cup, and I really like the ramen Lee gets me at Ichiraku and the curry Lee makes for me! But I really hate the three minutes you have to wait after you pour the water in the ramen cup. My hobbies' eating different kinds of ramen and comparing them and my future dream is...to be the greatest Hokage! Then the whole village will stop disrespecting me and start treating me like I'm somebody, somebody important!" Naruto couldn't stop playing with his hiate-ate as he spoke.

Lee smiled, amused by Naruto's rambling; though he did make a note to make Naruto a more variety of food. It wasn't healthy to only eat ramen…they again, being a demon holder made it so they could eat anything without many repercussions.

"Alright, next." Kakashi said.

"I'm Haruno Sakura!" Sakura spoke, "What I like, uh…" She suddenly paused then straightened her back and continued, "I like to learn, reading is one of my hobbies and I pride myself on my smarts. I hate people who put others down just because how they look, and as for dreams… Right now I do not know, but I hope I will soon."

Lee _purred_ , happy with her answer. He'd expected her to ramble about girlish dreams and Sasuke with how she was acting earlier. It seemed that his impromptu lesson had made an impact on her more than he expected.

He heard Kakashi hum curiously then give that eye smile he was known for because no one has ever actually seen his face. "Now you." He said, turning his visible eye to Sasuke.

"My name is...Uchiha Sasuke."

' **He sounds a little dramatic, does he not?** '

' _ **…Yes, I cannot deny that. Very different from how he was earlier.**_ '

"I hate a lot of things and I don't like much."

Lee frowned. This one would need some work to work well as Naruto's team mate.

"What I have is not a dream, because I will make it a reality. I'm going to restore my clan, and destroy a certain...someone." Sasuke finished, leaving everyone staring at him in silence.

' _ **This one really does need a lot of work…**_ '

' **I hope it will be worth it.** '

"Last one." Kakashi said, making the three Genin frown in confusion. They followed his line of sight to see Lee frowning unamused on the small roof above them.

"Lee!" Naruto exclaimed, surprised, "What are you doing here?"

"I was merely waiting…" Lee smiled at Naruto then turned a frown back to Kakashi, "What are you speaking of, Kakashi?"

"The Hokage told me that you were to join us on any outside missions. So I thought 'why not'? Introduce yourself to the little ones now." Kakashi said and he sounded like he was enjoying himself too much in Lee's ears. Lee shifted, feeling disgruntled, but only because he hadn't been expecting this.

"…" Lee pouted slightly but then lifted himself so he was sitting on the edge instead of lying down. He looked at the others and saw that Naruto, Sakura, and even Sasuke were looking at him with interest. Lee sighed then smiled at them.

"My name is Rock Lee. The only like I can speak of is that I like Naruto. I dislike many things but most is those who try to hurt the ones who have gained my affection. My hobbies are…sunbathing. As for dreams…I do not wish to speak of them." Lee finished and smiled at Kakashi though his eyes were empty of emotion.

"Good, you're each unique and you have your own ideas. We'll have our first mission tomorrow." Kakashi announced

"What kinda mission are we gonna have?!" Naruto asked, voice excited, "Lee's gonna be with us too right?!".

"It's a task that the five of us will do together, yes."

"What, what, what, what, what, what?!" Naruto repeated, making Lee smile.

"A survival exercise."

' _Oh dear._ ' Lee listened to the following conversation, as Kakashi informed the three –four including him which he did not appreciate- that chances were, they'd be sent back to the academy if they failed the exercise. It didn't exactly apply to him since he was already a 'Genin' of Konoha. He watched Kakashi say that they were dismissed then add a passing word before leaving. When Kakashi was gone, Lee jumped down and hugged Naruto from behind.

"Ready to go?" He asked

"Ah, Lee-san?" Sakura spoke up, making Lee look at her.

"Yes?"

"Well, you seemed familiar with Kakashi-sensei… I wanted to ask if you could tell us about him?" She asked.

Lee smiled, feeling a vague sense of pride for Sakura catching that and asking. He nodded and motioned her to sit, only a little surprised when Sasuke sat as well. Naruto quickly sat by Sakura in their earlier positions and they looked at Lee with interest once again. Lee chuckled softly then spoke, "Hatake Kakashi, first, I am surprised that you do not know of him Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke frowned in confusion, "Why?" he said.

"One of his titles is, Kakashi of the Sharingan." Lee said then paused as he saw Sasuke jerk in surprise and look at him with wide eyes. Lee nodded and continued, "As to how he got it, that you must find out on his own. It is a story meant to be told first hand. Other than that, he has another title of Copy-nin and it is said that he's copied over a thousand jutsu's. He is in the bingo books and is considered a prodigy."

Lee paused and hummed, "But all of that is easily gained knowledge. I suppose the most important information to know when considering him is that he likes to say 'A ninja must look underneath the underneath'." Lee looked at them and hoped that they could find the hint in that.

If not…well, he'd just have to help them tomorrow, since he is apparently an extra of this team. Kakashi would regret giving him away…

"That is all I will say for now. I will see you all tomorrow." Lee smiled and then looked to Naruto, "I will be heading to my apartment. You are very welcome to spend the night again."

Naruto grinned and nodded happily as Lee got up. Lee waved at them all and jumped off the ledge of the building, landing safely on the ground before walking off.

He was only halfway home before a certain Jonin stepped in like beside him. Lee hummed lightly and slowly looked at him from the corner of his eyes.

"I'm surprised. You're showing a lot of favor towards Naruto." Kakashi said, almost off handedly.

"Oh, you need not worry, Kashi-kun. You are still my favorite~." Lee said, adopting his usual light tone with the older man as he looked at him completely. Always that line of 'playfulness', bantering with someone how could be dangerous. Though, which one was more dangerous, him or Kakashi? Lee learned not to just assume strength.

"How can I believe that when you didn't even say you liked me." Kakashi said with a mock sigh of sadness.

Oh yes, Lee was going to get Kakashi back tomorrow…

"Oh, I am so sorry Kashi- _koi_." Lee smiled a bit naughtily –hiding the unease he felt at using that suffix- when he saw Kakashi's step stutter for just a spilt second. Kakashi chuckled and rubbed the back of his head; like it was nothing but the red tinting the tips of his ears told another story.

Lee looked forward but kept his eyes on the man, "The …affection, I feel for Naruto is different." He finally continued, "It appears that I have adopted him as my kitten, so I simply cannot allow anything bad to happen to him. I do hope you understand." Lee chuckled, lightly covering his mouth even as his eyes flashed dangerously.

"Ah…" Kakashi said and Lee knew that Kakashi wasn't going to try to stop him, "I'm glad I don't have to fight for top spot then. I'd be a very sad man if I couldn't get my dose of Lee time."

Lee giggled this time and Kakashi looked at him. A smile stretched Lee's lips and he said, "Oh, you do not have to worry about that~" before disappearing from Kakashi's sight.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee made it back to his apartment with no other distractions. He cleaned up the slight mess that had been left that morning from his and Naruto's rush to get to the academy. He cleaned the dishes and put them away before going to the window and curling up in the warm spot.

' **There are six hopefuls.** ' Matatabi suddenly said, making Lee frown in confusion.

' _ **Six what? What are you talking about, Mother?**_ '

' **I am talking about mates.** '

Lee choked and began coughing. He hit his chest, trying to get his lungs working again and when he did, his eyes were slightly tearing, ' _ **Mother! You must not spring that on me so suddenly!**_ ' then he sighed, ' _ **Though I suppose it is my fault. You did tell me that I should be looking for a mate soon...**_ '

' **Mate or mates. With Naruto's jutsu, we can give birth to many litters. Our family would be large.** '

Lee blushed and felt his heart skip. He purred and curled up as if trying to hide his pleasure at the thought. ' _ **You think I should have more than one mate...?**_ '

' **Yes, though I would not be against only one. More mates means more love and protection. It means more family as well which I know you dearly want.** '

Lee blushed again but this time in vague embarrassment and quickly thought ' _ **You said six. Who are the six candidates?**_ '

' **The first one would be your Angel.** ' She said and Lee purred loudly at the thought. Oh if he could see his Angel again...just his thoughts still made his lips tingle from their promise.

' **Haha, I understand Kitten. I wish to see him too; I want to know if he has thought of you since then.** '

' _ **I hope he has...**_ '

' **Back on track; second would be the Nara boy, Shikamaru. He reminds me of your Angel and he does seem to like you. You appear to like him as well. He is smart too, like any Nara worth their weight, I imagine that he would give you the stimulation you need.** ' Matatabi purred a laugh and Lee shifted in embarrassment.

Such odd emotions. Lee wasn't entirely sure that he should be grateful to have them. But he agreed with Mother. Shikamaru made him feel...warm.

' **Third might just be Shukaku's container, Gaara.** '

' _ **Him? Why him?**_ '

' **He seemed interested in you and I know you had fun speaking with him. Usually you either hurt or ignore a person right after a mission like that, but you spoke to him and teased him with a kiss.** '

Lee felt heat rise to his face once more and hid himself in his arms, curling up into a tinier ball in the sunlight. He didn't say anything against Mother's accusations.

' **Plus he is a demon vessel as well. He would know the quirks of being one like you do and he would be willing to accept them like I know you would for your own mates.** '

That...that kind of made Lee smile and yes, he could see it. There would be no hiding with someone like himself. Gaara could understand the bloodlust; understand how it was to walk the fine line between too much and not enough. At least, he really hoped so. Lee like his first three options.

' **Fourth appears to be Sasuke.** '

' _ **What!? No!**_ ' Lee shot up, eyes wide, ' _ **He could not possibly- I mean...he is meant to be a brother to Naruto...?**_ ' Lee made a sound of vague distress, ' _ **Let us just leave him as a low maybe.**_ '

' **Of course Kitten.** ' Matatabi said and Lee could feel her amusement, ' **Fifth is Neji.** '

At that, Lee just sent a wave of incredulousness. He heard Mother laugh then she explained herself.

' **He might question you but I truly do not think he finds you as dangerous as he acts. It seems more like he is just trying to find ways to speak with you without giving anything away. The fact that he gets flustered at your teasing only helps.** '

Huh, Neji didn't seem so out there then. It was all speculation in the end but it was interesting and enlightening to hear the possibilities.

' **Last, and I do mean last as I do not trust him, is Hatake Kakashi.** '

' _ **But...if you do not trust him, then why is he on the list?**_ '

' **I dislike him because he is an adult and adults have scorned and betrayed us in the past. I...have a hope that he might be different but it is very small. If he were not married already I would say Nara Shikaku instead...but Kakashi seems to enjoy the banter and flirtation between you two. That is why he is last. I need to see more of him.** '

Lee nodded, still feeling the blush high on his cheeks but then someone knocked and Lee felt Naruto's chakra.

"No need to knock Naru! You are welcome!" He called out from his comfy spot and heard the door open.

Soon, he felt Naruto's chakra beside him and Lee opened his eyes. He saw a bag and smiled when he saw a slight look of embarrassment and hopefulness in Naruto's expression. Lee leaned up and suddenly pulled Naruto down in the sunspot with him. He arranged it so they were both comfortable and Lee was curled around his boy.

"Hey..." Naruto whispered, quietly cuddling up to Lee.

"Hello my sun." Lee whispered back, smiling.

"Sun...?"

"Yes. You are...very bright Naruto. Like my own little sun..." Lee nuzzled Naruto's hair and smiled when he felt Naruto press even closer, "I am not a person to feel affection easily but...you have gain it so quickly. You are my kitten. I am sorry if you do not like me saying such things."

"What does it mean when you say that?" Naruto's voice was slightly hesitant and confused.

"I means...I want to take care of you. I view you like my own child. My little one, my own kitten." Lee said then Naruto suddenly hugged him so tightly that he could barely breathe. Despite that, Lee hugged Naruto back, pressing another kiss to the blond's head.

"T-then...can I...can I call you kaa-chan?" Naruto whispered and it was the quietest he'd ever heard the boy be. Lee smiled, feeling a great rush of warmth and he purred loud enough for Naruto to hear.

"I would be honored." Lee said.

And if he felt wetness spread on his shirt or the shakes in Naruto's form well...Lee only held him close, purring softly.


	8. Chapter 8

Lee woke in the morning protectively curled around Naruto in the bed. He spared a moment to think that maybe he should find someplace bigger and have Naruto move in with him. Then he gave that more thought and found that he liked the idea. How would Naruto react to it...? Would Naruto be willing to live with him?

A question for another day.

Lee got out of bed and did his usual routine of showering then cooking breakfast. Though, before he went to cook, he gently woke Naruto up and told him to take a bath and that breakfast would be ready when he got out.

"But kaa-chan, Kakashi-sensei said we couldn't eat." Naruto said after yawning.

"Well I find that dumb. It is better to eat and throw it up later than to not eat and be unable to fight for your life from lack of energy. Now, go bathe. We are eating breakfast." Lee said.

Naruto grinned and accepted easily, looking like he was on cloud nine. Lee looked at him fondly and amused then shook his head and went to cook. He made extra and put them into bento boxes for Sasuke and Sakura just in case. It wouldn't do for them to be unable to fight be Naruto's side just because they didn't eat.

Naruto came out later, dressed and clean, and they ate together. He yawned from time to time and when it was time to leave, Lee told him to get onto his back so he could nap on the way there. Naruto got that silly grin again and did as Lee asked.

Lee walked towards the bridge, naturally keeping his gait smooth, practically gliding on the ground. Those who were awake at this time stared at him and whispered but Lee paid it no mind. He didn't care one bit for the civilians of konoha that did this. He didn't care for the shinobi either but that was another story.

He got to the meeting spot with no trouble and saw Sasuke and Sakura already there. They looked up and Sasuke looked away with a slight scowl while Sakura sighed. Both of their stomachs growled.

"You did not eat?" Lee whispered, gently setting Naruto down instead of waking him.

"Sensei told us not to..." Sakura pouted, whispering as well. It was different from how she used to act and she knew that a week ago she probably would have yelled without caring if she woke Naruto but...Lee made her think. She was to be a shinobi now, not a kunoichi, a shinobi, and this team...they would take on missions that could endanger their lives. It wasn't time for childish dreams anymore.

Sasuke grunted in agreement.

Lee sighed and took out the bento boxes he'd packed, "Here." he said, "Eat. I would rather have you two throwing up later than to be exhausted and die from an attack because you did not eat in the first place."

Sasuke was the first to take a box with a mumbled thanks. Sakura took the other, saying thank you with a cute smile on her face.

' _ **Oh, she is kind of...adorable.**_ ' Lee smiled back, wanting to pet her hair again, so he did.

Sakura smiled a bit shyly as Lee stroked her hair but she found that she liked it. She like Lee though he was a bit odd, but he was smart and helpful too and he didn't look down on her. She liked that the best. He treated her like what she was, a child quickly becoming an adult and he helped her with understanding.

Sasuke ate quietly, watching Lee the entire time. The food was good and made him feel kind of warm, like a good memory. He shifted and felt his ears warm as he watched Lee smile at Sakura. It was nice and made him feel strange inside. Lee was...pretty, for a boy, and Sasuke found himself wanting to know how he'd look with his hair unbraided.

There was also the fact that Sasuke couldn't get their first meeting out of his head. It still ran through his mind, Lee telling him that he'd... _punish_ him. The thought made him shift and heat raced to his cheeks. How Lee had said it made his blood rush and his mouth had went dry. Sasuke quickly shook his head and finished eating.

Sakura and Sasuke gave the boxes back and Lee put them away.

"Kakashi will not be here for another three hours at least. So you two can take a nap if you wish, I will stay up and wake you before he comes." Lee said, sitting down next to Naruto and maneuvering his slumbering form so Naruto's head was on his lap.

Sakura took his advice and sat down on his other side. She leaned against the bars and slowly fell asleep. Her posture relaxed and she was slumbering against Lee's shoulder before even five minutes passed. The only one awake now was Sasuke who was still staring at Lee.

Lee tilted his head and stared right back. Mother's words from yesterday coming back to him. Sasuke was...interested. Or at least, he was flustered by him.

"Yes?" Lee asked quietly.

Sasuke grunted and looked away, his cheeks feeling warm once again.

"A man of few words then? Is this because of our first meeting?" Lee asked and was immediately interested in the way Sasuke's face went completely red.

Mother was laughing in his head.

"...Are you alright?" Lee slowly asked. At this point even he felt a tad concerned.

"I'm fine." Sasuke said abruptly and Lee raised his eyebrows.

Yes, this one needed work.

"Come here." Lee said and when Sasuke only looked at him, Lee said, "Come here, please?"

Sasuke still just stared.

"Come here or I will punish you." Lee said, eyes slightly narrowing.

Sasuke's face shot red again and he glared back but still stood. He didn't want to give it a chance, well...he didn't want to let himself give it a chance. When he got close enough, he had to choke down a surprised noise when Lee yanked him down. Before he could even tell what was happening, Sasuke was lying in front of Lee with his head on Lee's free leg. His face burned hotter and he laid there, frozen.

Lee gently began petting Sasuke's hair with his free hand and said, "Sleep, Little Uchiha. I will watch over you until it is time."

Sasuke stayed silent and tense but he didn't move. Slowly, he actually began struggling to stay awake. Twenty minutes passed and he lost the battle. He fell asleep under Lee's soothing hand, vague memories of his own mother doing the same thing entering his dreams.

Three hours passed before Lee looked up, finally pausing in his gentle petting of Narutp and Sasuke's heads as he felt Kakashi's chakra near.

' _So he is done visiting the memorial stone..._ ' Lee thought to himself and gently woke Sasuke first before doing the same for Sakura then Naruto.

Sasuke blinked, looking a little lost as to what was happening before it visibly clicked and he quickly sat up, cheeks tinted with embarrassment.

Sakura pressed against Lee for a moment longer, yawning into his shoulder before blearily opening her eyes. She told Lee a quiet thank you before patting down her hair out of habit.

Naruto grumbled but then smiled and said, "Morning, Kaa-chan." before sitting up and stretching, a silly grin on his face.

"Well well well, don't you three look all rested." Kakashi said, his eye curved into a smile and his hands in his pockets.

"You're late." Naruto and Sakura said. Naruto grumbling and Sakura crossing her arms.

Sasuke glared at Kakashi.

Lee giggled.

This was entertaining already.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Kakashi had explained to them –the three not yet real Genin really- what they were meant to do. He dangled the two bells –two because Lee was already a Genin on another team, Kakashi had said when Sakura asked why- and told them that they had to get a bell or they'd be sent back. Naruto had attacked before Kakashi told them to begin and Lee let him but when Kakashi gave the go ahead, Lee gripped the back of Naruto's jacket and pulled him along as he jumped away.

Lee kept Naruto closer and immediately found Sakura and took her along as well before finding Sasuke and keeping all three with him.

"I want you three to think of how to take Kakashi down." Lee said before anyone could question him, "I will distract him to give you time, do not waste it."

He waited for a moment and smiled when both Sakura and Naruto nodded. He jumped off the wide branch and flipped in the air, barely touching the ground before he was shooting off towards Kakashi. It took mere moments before he was standing a few feet from Kakashi, smiling blankly.

"Surprising. What do you plan to do, Lee?" Kakashi said, slowly putting away his orange book.

"How is it surprising, Kashi-kun?" Lee asked, slowly tilting his head.

"I wouldn't expect you to participate. Then again, maybe I should've." Kakashi rolled his shoulders like he was shrugging but his stance was only deceptively relaxed.

"Of course, it is my Naru's dream at stake here." Lee said but he didn't mention that he was slightly becoming fond of the pink haired one. "Well, I suppose that is enough talking. I never did get the chance to fight you, let us see who can win this friendly spar."

"Oh, you're going to make me work." Kakashi said with a chuckle but his body tensed and suddenly they were attacking each other.

They silently agreed to only use taijutsu so it was only their fists and feet that were working. Kakashi met each one of Lee's strikes and it seemed like they were in a deadlock for the most part without the urge to actively kill each other.

"You remember the first time we met, do you not, Kashi-kun?" Lee suddenly asked, never breaking in his attack and defense.

"How could I forget?" Kakashi replied.

"You did not have Shi-san with you that time."

"I wasn't expecting to run into you."

"And then you decided to call for back-up and follow me. I have wondered…why?" Lee jumped away from an attack that was aimed for his head. He crouched then lunged like a big cat, successfully catching Kakashi and bringing them bother to the ground. Lee straddled Kakashi immediately and pinned his hands to the ground. When Kakashi didn't answer, Lee spoke.

"What? Cat got your tongue?" Lee said, his voice suddenly turning to a purr. He released one hand and touched Kakashi's lips through his mask, "Do you want me to catch your tongue~?"

Lee shifted like he had a cats' tail and grinned. He could feel the heat from Kakashi's breaths as he kept his fingers on the older mans' lips. Then, the world turned and Lee found himself pinned under Kakashi instead. Kakashi's larger hand easily circled both of his wrists as he kept them firmly on the ground above his head. Lee's heart stuttered in his chest and he felt heat creep up his neck and towards his cheeks as Kakashi repeated his own action, swiping a rough finger over his lips.

"We should keep that behind closed doors, ne?" Kakashi said, a strange note in his tone as it coupled with amusement.

"PERVERT! Get off of Lee!" Naruto's voice rang out and they saw him charging from their left then there were kunai coming from their right. Lee's heart skipped as he could feel Sakura's chakra from the right. They were working together.

Kakashi jumped back, right into the path of a fireball as Sasuke shouted, "Fire Style: Fireball Jutsu!"

Naruto created multiple Shadow clones to attack Kakashi and try to get the bells as the man was distracted. The original Naruto stayed and instead, picked Lee up and dashed towards the tree-line. He set Lee next to Sakura then grinned,

"Stay right here Kaa-chan, we'll teach that pervert a lesson!" He said and Lee bit his inner cheek to hold back a laugh.

"I have no doubt you will." Lee said, smiling fondly.

"Remember the plan, Naruto!" Sakura quickly said and Naruto nodded before heading back out.

"Why are you not fighting, Sakura-chan?" Lee asked, keeping quiet.

Sakura lightly flinched but didn't look away from the battle, "I…I'm not strong at all. My taijutsu sucks and I have no stamina. All I have is my brain and I can't physically fight with that." She paused then gave Lee a slightly self-depreciating grin "So we agreed that I would attack from a distance and if I see that the plan isn't working, I'll send a signal and they'll come back."

Lee smiled and put his hand on Sakura's head, brushing back her hair, "That is great Sakura-chan. That means that you are the backbone of this team. You will keep them from being hurt too badly, as long as you keep your eyes and your mind open. A team is practically useless without a plan." Lee said and he could see Sakura visibly brighten.

She nodded determinedly, and then suddenly shifted. She took out ten kunai and quickly tossed them as she whistled sharply. Sasuke and Naruto suddenly jumped back away from Kakashi and shot back into the tree-line in different directions before coming back to Sakura.

"Sakura/Sakura-chan." Sasuke and Naruto spoke at the same time.

"Sasuke almost had him!" Naruto said, his lips pulling down in a scowl.

"It was close because you jumped on him." Sasuke said and Sakura nodded as she had seen.

"Can you keep that up? Spam your Shadow Clones and keep him down under the weight?" Sakura asked, looking at Naruto but before he could answer, the buzzer sounded and the test was over. Their eyes widened and Naruto hit the tree with a curse.

Lee smiled and got them to get up and head over to where Kakashi was waiting. Kakashi looked at them all and the first thing he said was,

"What made you all work together?"

The three looked surprised for a moment before Sasuke and Naruto looked to Sakura.

She looked at them before nodding and stepping forward, "Well, when Lee grabbed us and told us to think of how to take you down, I figured that we didn't really have a chance alone. You're a Jonin and a prodigy too. From what Lee said yesterday, to look underneath the underneath, I thought it was weird that this test would put us against each other because Konoha values teamwork and the bonds we create. When I talked with the boys they agreed we had a better chance together so we planned around our strengths."

Kakashi's eye crinkled like he was smiling under his mask and he chuckled.

"Sneaky, you told them without telling them." Kakashi said, turning his gaze to Lee for a moment. He chuckled again as Lee just shrugged with an amused smile.

"They are smart little ninja's. I merely gave them some information about Konoha."

"And me apparently."

"Just some of common knowledge, you are famous after all."

Kakashi hummed then looked back at his new Genin team and said, "It's correct. Teamwork was the answer. To abandon your mission makes you trash but to abandon your team mates makes you worse than trash." His visible eye crinkled again, "You pass."

"Woohoo!" Naruto exclaimed in excitement and Sakura jumped up and down happily. Even Sasuke cracked a smile though it edged more like a smirk.

"We're Genin! Now we get to go on cool missions and beat up bad guys!" Naruto grinned.


	9. Chapter 9

After Kakashi had told them to meet back at the bridge tomorrow at eight AM, Lee had taken them all out to eat again as a congratulations for becoming true Genin. After that, Lee bid them a good-bye and told Naruto that he would see him that night if Naruto wanted.

Naruto agreed with a silly yet adorable grin and Lee felt rather good as he made his way to the Nara residence.

He had told Shikamaru that he'd play a game with him and now that he had free time, Lee felt kind of excited to see the boy again. Though Mother had not actively spoken in a while –As she sometimes did; there wasn't much to speak about when you live similar days-, he could still feel her constant presence in his mind. Right now she was radiating curiosity.

Lee stepped up to the front door of the Nara residence and knocked. He could feel many chakra signatures but the ones that were familiar to him were in this house. He felt Shikaku's chakra come closer and smiled as the older man opened the door.

"Good Afternoon, Shi-san."

Shikaku blinked and his eyes flashed with amusement, he leaned against the door frame with his hands hovering by his pockets. It was a relaxed sort of tenseness.

"Lee," He said with a nod of greeting, "What brings you here?"

"I have met your son- which may I say, acts a lot like you- and I had told him that I would play a game with him." Lee said then spread his arms out, "So here I am."

Shikaku nodded and finally put his hands in his pockets, "I'll let him know you're here then. He's in the lounge room."

With that, Shikaku turned and walked further inside. Lee followed and politely removed his shoes before stepping onto their floor. He kept pace behind Shikaku –a lazy gait which Shikamaru had copied as well- and before long, they were in front of another room. Shikaku opened the sliding door and said, "Shikamaru, you've got a guest."

"Huh?"

Lee looked past Shikaku and saw that another door had been open, leading to the backyard which was a forest. Shikamaru had turned his had away from the sky and was now staring slightly wide eyed at Lee, the tips of his ears red.

Lee smiled and waved at the boy, saying, "Hello again, Shikamaru-kun. I am here for our game."

"Ah," Shikamaru quickly sat up then winced as Shikaku looked at him. He looked away from his dad's raised eyebrow and interested expression and just got up with careful carelessness.

"I'll set up the board then. You still good with shogi?" Shikamaru asked, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Lee giggled, his eyes flickering from Shikamaru to Shikaku and back. Same hair, same face, same posture, it was…cute. Lee liked it. He nodded to Shikamaru's question and said, "I look forward to our game. I have heard a lot about the famed Nara intelligence. I hope you will not be gentle with me."

"…Troublesome." Shikamaru said, cheeks warming, and Shikaku chuckled.

"I'll leave you two to your game." Shikaku said, turning with a brief wave, "I'll tell your mother where you are, expect her later."

"Troublesome." Shikamaru repeated, his tone filled with boyish dread this time.

Lee giggled again then went to sit across from Shikamaru, the Shogi board now set up. They began playing quietly for the first few minutes before Lee spoke up.

"You are a Genin now, correct? With Yamanaka Ino and Akimichi Chouji?" Lee asked, keeping his eyes on the game.

"Yeah, what a drag…"

"Oh? Do you not want to be a ninja, Shikamaru-kun?"

"It doesn't really matter to me. I just thought life would be more interesting as one." He gave a careless shrug though they were both looking at the board.

"So Shi-san did not make you as you are his heir?" Not that Lee really thought that the man would. He didn't seem the type to follow tradition.

"Shi-san…?"

"I know your father just a little. I owe him a rather large favor when he decides to collect on it." Lee answered the silent question, looking up to see Shikamaru looking at him with interest before looking back down.

"What did he do?"

"Ah…I suppose he…saved me?" Lee hummed then asked, "What is your plan for the future then? You want an interesting life?"

"…" Shikamaru was quiet so Lee looked up to apologize and say that he did not mean to overstep but the way Shikamaru looked, stopped him. He was leaning back, expression vaguely embarrassed as he looked anywhere but Lee. Then, he opened his mouth and mumbled,

"Someday, I just want to marry someone regular who likes some of the same stuff I do. Have two children, first a girl, then a boy. Retire after my daughter is married and my son becomes a successful ninja, and spend the rest of my life playing Shogi or Go. Then die of old age before my wife."

It was Lee's turn to be quiet then but when Shikamaru slowly turned his gaze back onto him, Lee gave him a genuine smile.

"That sounds positively lovely." Lee said, a soft purr in his tone, "A wonderful plan indeed."

Shikamaru's lips shifted into a smile and he chuckled, sounding subtly pleased, "How about you? What's your plan?"

Lee felt his cheeks warm and it actually was vaguely embarrassing to think of putting it into words for someone else, "Well…Mine is very much the same. I would like to find someone to marry and have children with them, more than just two though. I would…I would like to have a large family. I would retire after I was sure my children were safe and most likely spend the rest of my life relaxing, preferably in sunlight."

"Sounds…really good." Shikamaru said before clearing his throat, "Your move." He nodded to the board.

"Oh, so it is." Lee nodded and quickly moved a piece, his stomach feeling strangely fluttery.

He was glad when Yoshino, who introduced herself as Shikamaru's mother, came in. He was able to calm himself and smile once again without feeling so warm under his clothing and without fighting the urge to shift every few moments.

"Oh you are adorable! Shikamaru, why didn't you introduce us!" Yoshino went from squealing to putting her hands on her hips and looking at Shikamaru.

Shikamaru groaned and Lee heard him mumble under his breath, "Scary woman..."

Lee felt his lips twitch and he bit down his smile and turned to Yoshino, saying, "That might be my fault, Yoshino-san. I had the chance to introduce myself but I found myself searching for Shikamaru-kun first. I hope you forgive me." he bowed to her.

"Oh, I like this one! It's very nice to meet you...?" She tilted her head and Lee found himself liking her.

"My name is Rock Lee, Yoshino-san." Lee quirked his lips in a happy kitten-like smile

"Just call me Yoshino, Lee-chan." She waved her hand, smiling brightly at Lee.

Lee blushed and nodded, feeling oddly shy. He waved when Yoshino said that she'd bring back snacks for them then turned back to Shikamaru.

"Ah...sorry about her." Shikamaru said, rubbing the back of his neck.

Lee quickly shook his head and said, "No, I- ah...I like her. She seems really kind."

Shikamaru groaned and leaned back on his hands, "What a drag...yeah, she's nice to others but not me. She's scary..."

Lee covered his mouth as he giggled and he smiled under his hand as Shikamaru's ears tinted red but the boy gave him a crooked smile that made his heart skip.

' _ **Oh...my heart acts so strange around Shikamaru.**_ '

' **You like him, little one.** '

' _ **Well, yes. I find him interesting.**_ '

' **No, kitten. You like, like him. You are interested in him as he is interested in you.** '

Lee's eyes widened, ' _ **W-what? R-really?...That is...that is how that emotion feels like? All swirling and fluttering...**_ '

Actually, it did feel similar to the vague feeling he had felt around his Angel but now it felt _more_. It was most likely to be because Lee _felt_ more now. He felt more than just fear at least, even if most of it was vague.

"Hey, you okay?" Shikamaru's voice cut into Lee's thoughts and Lee's head shot up.

"Y-yes! I am fine!" Lee stuttered, his face shooting red. He quickly looked away, trying and failing to hide his burning face, but when he looked at Shikamaru from the corner of his eyes... Shikamaru was blushing too. The other boy rubbed the back of his neck and shifted in his seat. They both jumped when Yoshino came back into the room without knocking.

Yoshino looked at the both of them and visibly struggled not to giggle.

"Lee-chan, why don't you stay for dinner?" She asked

"O-oh, I would not want to intrude." Lee stuttered softly, honestly surprised by the offer. He'd never been invited to eat before. Well, he never had anyone to invite him. Until a few weeks ago, he'd only known Sarutobi, Shikaku, and Kakashi which he barely spoke with one, didn't speak to the other at all, and bantered with the last. He didn't even hang out with his own teammates outside of training and missions.

"Nonsense! Your company would be delightful." She quickly said, smiling widely, "I won't take no for an answer!" she sang before darting back out of the room then Lee could hear her yelling at Shikaku.

Lee blinked and found himself agreeing with Shikamaru, this woman was strangely scary. He still felt like he liked her though.

"Well...I suppose I am staying for dinner." Lee said, turning his eyes onto Shikamaru who didn't look disappointed in the slightest.

"She's a really good cook." Shikamaru said, like an obscure attempt to get Lee to stay as well. Instead of looking away, Shikamaru locked his eyes with Lee and gave Lee a rather handsome smile. Lee felt himself begin to purr and blushed hotly.

"I-I must see if she requires help then! I would not want to eat without doing so!" Lee sputtered and quickly got up, gliding out of the room faster than normal.

It didn't stop Lee's superior ears from hearing Shikamaru chuckle and whisper 'Cute' under his breath.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was late when Lee finally left the Nara residence. The moon was already shining and he hoped that Naruto made himself at home in his apartment if he decided to come over and stay.

He got back home and subtly perked up when he felt Naruto's chakra in his room. He went inside and removed his shoes before padding to the bedroom. He quietly opened the door and smiled when he saw that blond mop of hair peeking out from under the covers. He quickly changed into an over-sized t-shirt -what he had begun wearing instead of going nude since Naruto starting sleeping over- and gently placed his weights off to the side before joining Naruto on the bed.

Naruto briefly woke as Lee curled around him and quickly pressed closer to Lee's warmth. He sighed in content, muttering "Kaa-chan..." happily.

Lee smiled and whispered a question if Naruto ate. When Naruto nodded sleepily, Lee kissed Naruto's bare forehead and whispered an almost loving 'good night'.

The next morning, Lee woke first, hours before Naruto needed. He got up and wrote a little note for Naruto just in case his kitten woke up, telling him that he would be back at 7 to make breakfast before they had to go to the bridge.

After, Lee went to his own teams' training spot for the first time in several weeks.

"Lee!" Gai exclaimed, "You are back! I hope Hokage-sama's mission was successful!" the older man grinned as soon as he saw his missing student.

"Lee!" Tenten said as well, smiling, "Welcome back! Got to say, it's a bit boring without you."

"Aw, Ten-chan~ I knew you liked me~" Lee purred

"I will hurt you Lee." Tenten deadpanned, slightly glaring but then she sighed with a smile.

Lee grinned back at her then looked at Neji. He hummed, feeling excited to tease his teammate.

" _Neji_ ~" Lee purred with a seductive quality, making the Hyuuga's cheeks go red. The pale eyed boy glared at Lee, his arms crossed as he scowled.

"Oh do not make that face, I have _missed you_ ~" Lee said, slinking over to Neji. He disregarded the fact that Neji had his arms crossed and draped his arms over Neji's shoulders. Neji tensed up and stared down at Lee as if he had no mouth to speak with.

"How youthful!" Gai exclaimed, making Neji jerk and Lee felt himself begin to laugh. Seeing Neji so flustered was just _amusing_.

' **I suppose I need to revise the list.** ' Mother murmured in his head.

' _ **What do you mean?**_ ' Lee asked even as he continued to tease, easily doing two things at once then actually started training.

' **I have access to your emotional state Kitten. I know when there is an interest from you whether small or large. You have no real romantic interest towards Neji, same for Sasuke. You have the smallest bit of interest for Hatake but quite a bit for the Nara boy. I approve, by the way. The Shukaku vessel is unknown and of course your Angel is wanted.** '

Lee blinked, his only visible reaction to Mother's words as he trained, slamming his fists against the wooden post. He quickly switched to kicks but had to pull back on each move as to not destroy the wood. This was only a warm-up though. Later, he would train by himself with a clone.

He did still know how to make rock clones thanks to his life from before. He knew Shadow Clone as well since he had watched Naruto try over and over again to learn it that one night.

' **Still, it might change as you spend more time with each person. The only concern is being able to do so.** '

' _ **My path does not put me on the same as theirs often unless I seek it out myself.**_ ' Lee nodded to himself

"It seems I must go out of my way then…"

"What-" Neji's voice startled Lee to the point that he whipped around and pinned the boy to the ground. Neji grunted from the force then his eyes widened slightly.

"Oh, Neji…" Lee muttered, vaguely surprised. His hand was frozen just an inch from Neji's neck and began to smile seductively but Neji suddenly glared.

"Stop." Neji said, voice tight with irritation, "Stop playing with me!"

Lee blinked in surprise then the emotion fell off his face and he looking at Neji with vague curiosity, "Whatever do you mean, my _dear_ Neji?"

"You know what I mean. You…you _flirt_ with me, _constantly_." Neji's brows turned down and the line of his mouth tensed.

Lee slowly tilted his head, not moving from his position on Neji as the Hyuuga hadn't moved him either. His expression was blank though his vague sense of curiosity continued, "So…do you wish me to stop?" is that where Neji was going?

The tips of Neji's ears suddenly burned and he shut his eyes for a long moment before gritting out, "I wish for you to be serious and face destiny."

Lee's eyes widened a fraction in genuine surprise and he stared at Neji, speechless. Those white eyes bore into him and Lee felt something squirm in his stomach. He also felt…confused though, face destiny in what? We were talking about flirt- and Neji was now touching his hips. It suddenly clicked and Lee felt his face warm.

"I-I must think!" Lee blurted and shot up, getting off of Neji and running. He barely said a quick goodbye to Gai and Tenten as he left, not listening as Tenten called out, asking where he was going and Gai shouted about his youth.

' **I stand corrected. It seems Neji is still on the list. 'Destiny' indeed.** ' Matatabi laughed inside his head as he ran faster towards home.


	10. Chapter 10

Lee got home to see Naruto still sleeping. He woke his kitten up with an hour still left before the meeting time and got him to shower while he made breakfast. They ate together and roof hopped to the bridge and saw Sakura already there and Sasuke walking up.

Lee was glad for this, he'd rather spend time with these three than thinking about what happened just an hour earlier.

"Good morning Lee!" Sakura said with a bright smile, making Lee smile back at her.

"Good morning Sakura-chan." He said, stroking her hair when he was close enough.

"Hn…morning." Sasuke mumbled

"Good Morning Sasuke-kun." Lee said, a tad amused.

Lee went to the rail next to Sakura and lifted himself up on it. He sat on the railing and smiled when Naruto took a seat right in front of him. He closed his legs enough to lightly touch Naruto's shoulders and kept them like that.

"Lee?" Sakura suddenly said, her voice lifting with a question.

"Yes?" Lee turned his head towards her to give her his attention.

"Not that I'm unhappy or ungrateful…I wanted to ask, why are you with Team Seven? Don't you have a team of your own?" She asked

"I do, Team Gai to be specific. We were the only team to pass last year." Lee said, "It was not my original intention to be here, I was meant to just come along when you three upgraded to C-rank missions. It is Kakashi's fault that I am here now. I find myself invested with all three of you and not just Naruto now."

"Invested?" Sakura questioned and Lee nodded,

"I want to make sure all of you get stronger. You are newly minted shinobi. I do not wish for any of you to get hurt." Well, he didn't exactly care about Sasuke but he cared about Naruto and Sakura was quickly becoming adorable and dear in his eyes.

"…Are you strong?" Sasuke suddenly asked, his eyes intent on Lee.

Lee tilted his head, feeling that flash of amusement again. He slightly wanted to call Sasuke foolish for actually asking him but he chuckled instead.

"What is strength really? Physical or mental? Or are you speaking about the elusive emotional sort?" Lee questioned and Sasuke frowned.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked.

"There are different types of strength. Physical is obvious, it is the amount of strain your body can go through without giving up. It is by far the weakest out of the three."

"How is physical strength weak?!" Sasuke cut in, his frown turning into a scowl.

"Because it is nothing without the other two. Now do not interrupt, it is very rude." Lee lightly scolded then looked back at Sakura as he played with Naruto's hair. He could tell the blond was listening by how his head was tilted towards them.

"The second is mental strength. It is the strain your mind can go through. Physical strength is nothing if your mind is broken by a genjutsu or seeing something happen that is truly horrendous." Lee paused and looked at all three before taking a breath and continuing.

"Third and the most important is emotional strength. Only with emotional strength are you able to combined each type and bring out the best in yourself. Physical strength is nothing if you are too scared to act and mental strength is only gained if you have the courage to continue no matter what."

"Do you have all three?" Naruto asked, leaning back and looking up at Lee. Lee smiled and ran his fingers through Naruto's hair once more.

"That is a very good question, my little sun." Lee said, "I can only say that I hope I have the right kind. You see, emotional strength is very tricky. One can have fear or anger instead of courage and still fight because they are so very afraid of the consequence of not succeeding or too angry to think of anything else. That can be just as damaging as not having any at all… that is why you need a team, a family to place your trust in."

"How is anger bad…?" Sasuke asked, his tone slightly slow and hesitant but well hidden.

"Because…anger can get everyone killed. It can lead you and those you love into a situation where only death is freedom…Sometimes you will not even get that option either."

Sakura shuddered and shifted on her feet, her expression easily giving away her unease. Sasuke's expression cleared and he just stared blankly at the ground in thought. It took a while, but suddenly Naruto was standing, grinning like always.

"Don't worry about that! I'll get all three, just you wait! I'm gonna be Hokage after all, and I'll protect my family! Believe it!"

"Believe it I do." Lee said, his tone as fond as his smile. Even Sakura smiled and she said,

"Good luck, Naruto."

The grin that lit Naruto's face was like the sun itself and Lee felt that warmth inside him again.

For the rest of their time, they sat waiting. Sakura had somehow got Lee into a conversation about cooking; he couldn't really remember how –something about her being on a diet? He immediately told her how much of a bad idea that was.- but Lee found himself telling her how to get the best for her body without sacrificing anything. Even Naruto stuck up for him as he had been eating his cooking for the past multiple days. Though Sasuke didn't act as if he was listening, Lee knew he was as his head was tilted towards them.

Right when they were talking about vegetarian dishes that were tasty and still gave rounded nutrients needed, there was a poof and Kakashi was lifting a hand, saying "Yo."

"You're late." Sakura and Naruto said, looking at Kakashi with different expressions of annoyance.

Lee sighed and jumped off the railing when Naruto stood up. He looked at Kakashi but didn't say anything.

Then Kakashi said that they had a mission. Lee held back a wry smile as Naruto grew excited. It certainly wouldn't be what Naruto thought.

And Lee was right. Kakashi had gotten the Genin team a weed pulling mission.

This was going to take a while.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Two D-rank missions later, Kakashi finally told them to meet at the same time and same place the next day. Lee's lips thinned in displeasure. He hadn't really participated in the Mission's. Only giving hints to Sakura so she could think of a way to get things done faster or just help in general. It did work though; she had Naruto create shadow clones to speed up the weeding. The next was a delivery which Sakura was able to read the map and she sent Sasuke to the furthest since he was the fastest, she told Naruto to go to the closest because she knew he'd forget where and that left the middle one for her.

Lee was proud of her for it. He kind of liked guiding them to make the right choices.

But now that the missions were done and Kakashi had left, Lee felt himself become disgruntled. Kakashi didn't even give them advice to train alone…

"Hold it." Lee said as the three began to walk away. When they turned back to him, Lee sighed and said, "The day is not over. You three are going to train now."

"Wha?! Are you gonna teach us, Kaa-chan?!" Naruto jumped in excitement and Lee had to smile.

"Yes, you will not get better on your own. To tell the truth, your teamwork still needs well…work." Lee said, "I want to know your strengths and weaknesses. Naruto, you first."

Naruto crossed his arms, trying to think. His first reaction was to say he was just the best but this was Lee, so he gave it his best thought. After a moment, he laughed and rubbed the back of his head, saying, "I don't know! I know I can't do a regular clone though..."

Lee noticed Sakura raising her hand and felt a rush of fondness. He nodded to her and she stepped up, slightly blushing as the boys looked at her.

"Um...I noticed-" Sakura paused then turned to Naruto, "I noticed that you have a lot of chakra, probably more than Sasuke-kun, but you don't have a lot of chakra control. So a lot of your chakra goes to waste."

"Really? Thanks Sakura-chan!" Naruto grinned then suddenly looked confused, "Wait, what's chakra?"

At that, all three of them just stared at Naruto and it was Sasuke who sighed and said, "Dobe. They taught us in class." with a shake of his head.

"Hey! It's not my fault it was boring!" Naruto whined, frowning.

Lee rubbed his face in exasperation then looked at Sakura, "I am sure you know, correct? Will you tell Naruto in a way he can understand?"

Sakura nodded, "I know the textbook answer word for word but...Naruto."

"Yeah?"

"You know the blue glow that comes when you try to do jutsu? That's chakra, it's what allows you to do ninjutsu and genjustu. Chakra is also what keeps us alive. If you use all of it, you'll die from chakra exhaustion." She said.

"Ooh! Oh crap!" Naruto's expression turned to panic, "And I waste it?! I don't wanna die!"

"You will not die, Naru. I will teach you how to control it." Lee said, smiling when Naruto sighed in relief. Then he looked to Sasuke and motioned him to speak next.

"Best at Ninjutsu." Sasuke said, and when he didn't bother to say anything else, Lee gave him an unamused look. Sasuke frowned then grumbled, "...my arrogance."

"Better. I have the perfect training in mind for you Sasuke-kun." Lee said with an emotionless smile, but then his smile turned happy as he looked at Sakura next.

"You next, blossom." Lee said and Sakura looked surprised for a moment before smiling happily.

"I have near perfect chakra control and an almost eidetic memory. Iruka-sensei also said I'd be good at Genjutsu though I've never tried." Sakura looked almost proud but then sighed, "But I have low chakra reserves, low stamina, and I'm bad at Taijutsu."

Lee clapped his hands together and nodded, "Alright! All of that can be fixed with a bit of time and hard work. Especially if you are as good at chakra control as you say." He smiled, "Then again, we will find out soon as the first thing I want you three to do is climb a tree."

"But Kaa-chan, that's easy!" Naruto said, his expression matching the confusion in his tone.

"Not how I am thinking, because to climb, you are not going to use your hands." Lee said then sighed as the three looked at him confused.

"Well, we best get started now..." Lee said, feeling like this was going to take a while.

And it did.

He'd told them how to walk up the tree and even told them to start slow, to try sticking to the tree with their hands first. Sakura got it on the first try and walked up the tree with no problem. Luckily, They were still near the bridge and therefore the river so he instructed her to walk on water, giving her the hint that water wasn't stable like a tree, it was constantly changing. She got it on the first try again after dipping her foot first to test. So to keep her occupied and for her to stretch her reserves, he told her to jump on the water until she ran out.

He turned his attention onto the boys and grimaced at how badly they were doing. Sasuke was exploding the trunk with too much chakra and Naruto wasn't sticking at all or it was the opposite. Lee rubbed his face then went to them and told them how it was meant to feel. Like a tingling in their hands or feet depending on where they sent it. As if your limb had fallen asleep and blood was rushing back.

It was a little easier after that. They were able to stay for a bit but had to push off after a few steps only getting a little further each time.

Yes, this was going to take a while.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was nearing night by the time Sasuke and Naruto reached the top of the tree. Lee had Sakura show them how to walk up and pointed out how much her feet were glowing. After, Lee had pulled Sakura into a light sparing session -through it wasn't exactly light for her- while waiting.

When Lee heard his name be called, he turned and began _laughing_ , "Well done boys!" he called out, staring at their figures that were balancing on the tree tops. He heard Sakura shout in happiness, a call of "Cha!" which he somehow knew he'd hear more often.

They jumped down and though they both looked dirty and sweaty, both were grinning, even Sasuke. Lee purred as pride rushed through him. All three of them had worked hard and he had _liked_ showing them. It made him feel...good.

Lee gave into the urge and pulled all three of them into a group hug.

"Really, all three of you, great job. You have made me... _proud_." Lee said, smiling as Naruto and Sakura quickly hugged him back. Sasuke, who was in the middle, looked away but he didn't move away and Lee could see the little half smirk on his lips. Lee hugged them all tightly then let go and told them he'd walk them all home.

Sakura tried to say that he didn't need to but Lee wouldn't allow anything else to happen. So he, along with the boys, walked Sakura home first and even met her parents too. It was when both of them walked Sasuke home that Lee felt unease.

Lee stared at the much too big and much too empty Uchiha Clan residence. He frowned and stared before looking at Sasuke and suddenly deciding 'No.'. This would be some of the last nights Sasuke stayed in the empty -desolate really, it felt like a graveyard- complex.

Before leaving, Lee pulled Sasuke into a personal hug, holding him tightly. He felt the boy tense then slowly relax after a few moments. Hesitant arms wrapped around him and Lee smiled.

"Goodnight Sasuke-kun..." Lee whispered, pulling back enough to kiss Sasuke's temple before letting go. He smiled fondly as he saw Sasuke's red cheeks then turned away and took Naruto's hand.

"Let us go, Naru."

"Kay, kaa-chan." Naruto said, but when they were far enough, Naruto walked a little closer and slowly asked, "Kaa-chan...what was that about? With Sasuke?"

"...Naruto, how would you feel if I got a new place. Somewhere bigger?...Would you be willing to move in with me?" Lee asked instead of answering and had to stop after a step as Naruto wasn't following anymore. Lee looked back and saw Naruto staring at him with wide eyes. Naruto suddenly scrubbed at his eyes then grinned at Lee.

"That'd be awesome!" He said.

Lee smiled and pulled Naruto close, pressing a kiss to his head, "Wonderful. I want to live with you...but I realized that I want to extend the same offer to Sasuke."

"Huh? Why?"

"That place he lives in... There is no one else there Naru...and how that place feels...it reminds me of a graveyard." Lee said, his voice going quiet, "I do not think it is good for his mental or emotional health to live there."

Naruto looked like he was thinking even as he held on to Lee. Finally he nodded with a smile, "Okay, sounds good, Kaa-chan." then he got excited, "If Sakura-chan joins us, it'll be like the family you talked about!"

Lee laughed softly and nodded, "Yes, maybe we can convince her to spend the night many times. We can get her to consider our home a second one for herself."

"Yeah, it'll be the best too, believe it!"

"Believe it I do." Lee said with a smile, "But first we have to actually find a place. Come Naru, let's go back to the apartment for now, we'll get up early and look in the papers."

"Yeah!"

' **If only Sakura did not have parents...** '

Lee mentally froze though he had begun walking beside Naruto once more. Such a... _horrible_ thought, but...he thought about it too. He didn't want to share the female of Team Seven with those people he didn't even know. They couldn't protect her like the boys could, like _he_ could. She was vulnerable with them...

He _hated_ it.


	11. Chapter 11

Lee woke up early as usual and slowly got out of bed, making sure that the covers were still protecting Naruto from the morning cold. He showered and changed before finally going to wake Naruto up. He gently shook Naruto's shoulder, whispering,

"Naru...wake up, my little boy." Lee smiled as Naruto grumbled sleepily. He pressed a kiss to Naruto's bare forehead and said, "Come on, time to get up. You still want to help look for our new home, correct?"

At that, Naruto's eyes snapped open and he was immediately grinning.

"Kaa-chan!" He said, then sat up, "Yeah! We have a lot to do today!"

Lee laughed and nodded, "Yes we do. Now why do you not go shower. I will get the papers and make breakfast while you get ready."

"Okay!" Naruto quickly got out of bed and hissed slightly as the cold wood made contact with his bare feet. He practically tackled Lee into a hug before letting go and running to the bathroom.

Lee laughed again and shook his head fondly. Even Mother was purring in his head, happy with how things were going. He went out and quickly picked up multiple papers an places to live before coming back and starting breakfast. A few minutes later, he felt heard the shower turn off and Naruto running about in the bedroom. Lee smiled and shook his head. He set the newly made food onto plates and got milk out for their drinks.

"Alright!" Naruto shouted excitedly as he came into the kitchen, "What do-oh, food!" his attention swiftly turned to the food and Naruto quickly sat at the table.

"Looks great as always Kaa-chan!" Naruto said, a silly grin on his face.

Lee smiled and kissed Naruto's still bare forehead, "Then dig in my little kitten. We can look afterwards. We still have three hours before needing to get to the bridge."

"Okay!" Naruto quickly began eating and Lee joined him with a fond smile.

Soon they were looking at the ads in the paper. Lee told Naruto to just look for homes that had at least five bedrooms. Money didn't really matter to him since Lee had more than what people would think, looking at where he lived now. In the two years he'd lived in Konoha, he'd taken many A to S-class missions. His skill set allowed him to do it and Lee didn't exactly care about killing, or really...he cared too much. He still did and it was something that vaguely frightened him. He didn't like how he got when he killed others, he got...dazed and...just too happy.

But now wasn't the time to think of such things.

They kept at looking for the entire three hours and got eight different residences to check out later. Lee stopped Naruto from looking further and said,

"This will have to do for now. We must be leaving to get to the bridge on time."

Naruto groaned slightly, "But Kakashi-sensei never shows up on time..."

"Even if he does not, it would not be right for you to make Sakura-chan and Sasuke-kun wait on their own. Plus, I was thinking about asking them to help us check out the houses after training."

"Yeah! After all, Sasuke's gonna live with us too right? And Sakura-chan!" Naruto blushed slightly at saying Sakura's name but he looked honestly excited.

"Yes, but we will not be telling them that yet." Lee said after grapping a few items from his bedroom and then they left the apartment to walk to the bridge.

"Eh? Why not?" Naruto frowned in confusion

"Well, I doubt Sasuke-kun will take kindly to the suggestion. He might think we are taking pity on him, so I will have to speak with him separately. As for Sakura-chan, she does have her own family, so we will have to slowly get her to spend more and more time with us." Lee said, as if it was all right for him to be doing this.

"But won't Sakura-chan's parents miss her?" Naruto was a little concerned about that.

"Do you not see, Naru? Sakura-chan is a shinobi now; sooner or later she would have to move out anyway. It would be better for her to stay with us instead of somewhere with undesirable neighbors that could peek in on her. You would not want that, would you?" Lee asked with a sly tilt of his head.

"Hell no! She's Sakura-chan! No one gets to do that to Sakura-chan!"

"Exactly, we are protecting her from that, but do not tell her that. She will most likely think that you do not trust her to take care of herself. Which we do, do we not? This is just a different type of protection." Lee said

Naruto nodded quickly, getting sucked in to Lee's reasoning. He couldn't let perverts like that spy on Sakura, and there were a lot of perverts in Konoha too!

Lee smiled at Naruto's determined expression and ruffled his hair.

' **He is such a good boy...** '

' _ **Is he not~?**_ ' Lee smiled and there was a sort of darkness in his eyes. He was growing more and more attached to Naruto and Lee could feel the same attachment forming for Sakura and Sasuke, though, Sasuke's was tiny right now. How...strange, the more he learned how to feel, the more he wanted to...hoard this. These feelings of affection and want. Lee would _murder_ anyone who tried to take his kittens away from him.

"Sakura-chan, Sasuke-teme!" Naruto waved as they came closer to the bridge.

Sakura waved back, saying both of their names, and Sasuke nodded to them. Both seemed content and there was none of the reluctance Lee had earlier seen in Sasuke. Even Sakura seemed calm, her fangirling nature slowly getting smaller and smaller.

Good, the Uchiha boy didn't deserve it anyway. Naruto deserved it more, with how fondly he spoke of Sakura, especially the first time Lee heard of her from Naruto's lips.

"Hey you two! Guess what!" Naruto said as soon as they were close enough, "Kaa-chan's gonna get a new place! But he said he wants some second opinions."

"Oh?" Sakura made a noise of surprise then turned to Lee, "I'd be happy to help. What made you want to look anyway?"

"I asked Naru to move in with me." Lee said with a careless shrug, "My place now is just a one bedroom apartment. It was fine before, I did not care where I lived, but with Naru with me, I want some place better."

"We found like- eight places! They're all really cool!" Naruto cut in excitedly, "And really big too!"

"...Where?" Sasuke suddenly spoke up and Lee smiled at him.

"I tore out the pages; you may look if you wish." Lee said, taking out the said pages from his pack and handing them to Sasuke.

Sasuke took them and began looking through the papers. He frown at a few of them, paying more attention to what he was doing than to Naruto and Sakura talking. He immediately noticed when Lee came closer and looked over his shoulder, making his palms slightly sweat.

"Is there something wrong with that one?" Lee asked, breath brushing against Sasuke's cheek.

Sasuke subtly swallowed then gave a short nod, "You don't want this one. It's a roof-top walk way. You would probably hear the idiots who can't roof hop quietly." Sasuke glanced at Lee then quickly looked away when he saw the boy's bright smile.

"Ah, you see, that is why I need you Sasuke-kun. I would not have known that." Lee said and Sasuke felt his ears burn in that now familiar way.

Sasuke scoffed, saying, "Guess I really do have to go then. You probably wouldn't be able to tell if your being scammed either."

Lee hid his amused expression and just smiled. that was actually kind of adorable. Sasuke trying to act tough. Huh, Lee hadn't noticed that the Uchiha could be cute before. Maybe this one wasn't a lost cause.

"Thank you Sasuke-kun." Lee said before kissing Sasuke's cheek, making the boy's face burn red. Sasuke crossed his arms and scowled with his red cheeks, looking anywhere but Lee.

"Oh, Lee! Does this mean we won't be training after Kakashi-sensei leaves?" Sakura asked, looking a bit worried.

Lee's smile widened and he shook his head, "No, not at all. I have something for all three of you to do as we look. It will not be easy though. In fact..." Lee hummed then took out two things from his pouch and unhooked four things from his arms.

"Sakura-chan, I want you to wear these from now on." He said, handing her weights that would strap to her arms and legs, "These go on your legs and these ones to your arms. They are weights that will increase depending on how much chakra one puts into them. Right now they are at five pounds each for a total of twenty. It will help increase your stamina and your strength."

Sakura looked at the before nodding determinedly. She quickly put them on and grimaced at the added weight. Five pounds didn't sound like much but when she actually put them on, they were surprisingly heavy.

"That is not all." Lee said, catching Sakura's attention again, "I want you to circulate your chakra through your body, constantly. That will strengthen your muscles to get them used to the added weight quicker, and it has the added bonus of slowly stretching your reserves. That is only if you do not stop circulating though. I expect you to keep it up, Sakura-chan."

"I will!" Sakura said and felt herself grin as Lee gave her a proud smile. It always meant something great when Lee did that, not like he was proud of her smarts but that he was proud she was putting them to use and proud that she wouldn't give up. It made her happy.

"Now, you two." Lee said, turning to Naruto and Sasuke. He held up two round balls, "These will be for after Kakashi leaves. You will be learning chakra control by keeping these on your head with only chakra. These are not flat so it will be difficult because the point of contact is so small. Understood?"

They both nodded then Naruto asked, "But Kaa-chan, why aren't we doing it now?"

"Because right now and until Kakashi comes, I want both you and Sasuke-kun to learn how to water walk. Sakura-chan, you will show them, yes?"

"Cha! Count on me!" Sakura said and immediately pulled herself over the railing. She jumped off and landed on top of the water, her feet only slightly sinking in and making a splash before she stepped right on top, her chakra immediately adjusting back to normal as she didn't actually have to put more for the weights.

"Lee told me yesterday that I had to constantly change my chakra output because water isn't steady like the tree." Sakura said, looking at the boys. She blushed and smiled happily at their impressed looks, fighting not to do a little dance.

"Will we still need to focus enough to feel the chakra tingle?" Sasuke asked, looking at Lee.

Lee nodded, "Yes, it is the same. The only difference is that the water will make it so the tingle dies down or becomes too much at times, that is why you need to not pay careful attention but instead to let it come naturally."

"Kaa-chan! That's confusing!" Naruto whined -cutely in Lee's eyes- and Lee giggled.

"I know, my little Naru, but that is honestly how it is. It is best to just not think about it." Lee said, and then continued, "Now you two go down and join Sakura-chan. I will go get towels. Sakura-chan, I am leaving you in charge."

"Leave it to me!" Sakura said, waving, then turned to the boys with her hands on her hips, "Come on! You two won't learn by staying up there!"

"Coming Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out with a large grin. He jumped and a moment later, Lee heard a loud splash.

Lee looked to see Sakura already helping Naruto out of the water and trying to hold him up as he tried to keep himself above water. Lee bit back a laugh and looked at Sasuke who had a reluctant expression. Sasuke looked at Lee then groaned and jumped.

There was a second splash.

Lee giggled hard and quickly left to get towels and warm drinks. It might be a warm day but the water certainly wasn't.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Almost four hours passed with Lee watching them help each other out. Sakura could stay on the water the longest, of course, that only problem was if her chakra ran out. Sasuke could stay for fifteen minutes before he'd wobble and fall in. Naruto had a good ten minutes before doing the same.

Lee called for all of them to come to the shore and Sakura helped the boys get to him faster. Sakura looked tired and the boys were just completely soaked. Lee handed the towels to Naruto and Sasuke before giving Sakura the still warm drink. He'd gotten the special ones from the Akimichi store that would replenish some of her chakra. The boys got normal warm drinks as they didn't have low chakra reserves and weren't doing double like Sakura.

Naruto had taken off most of his clothing after the first dip and was only wearing the pair of swim shorts Lee had gotten for him, same with Sasuke. Thanks to that, their regular clothes were now dry but they were still wet.

Lee got out a second pair of towels and said, "Come on, I will dry your hair for you." to both of them.

"I'll help." Sakura offered and Lee _smiled_

"Thank you Sakura-chan. Why do you not help Naru then, he has less hair to dry." He said. He'd noticed how she had sometimes glanced at Naruto more as he struggled to learn how to water walk. Lee did admit that Naruto had more muscle on him than Sasuke and he was glad that Sakura was looking at his kitten more than the Uchiha.

"Okay, come on Naruto, sit here." Sakura said, motioning in front of her. A light blush tinted her cheeks as Naruto eagerly sat in front of her, looking all too much like an excited puppy. She immediately got to work in drying his hair.

Lee giggled then looked to Sasuke who silently sat in front of him, facing him. Lee tilted his head then shrugged and got to his knees, leaning forward to dry the black locks. He smiled as Sasuke looked a bit like a wet cat, subtly pouting yet enjoying the fact that he was getting dry.

"Alright, all dry, Sasuke-kun." Lee whispered, and giggled softly as Sasuke mumbled a 'thanks'. The boy was slowly becoming less surly.

Lee got up and debated going to Sakura and Naruto when he saw them talking to each other. Sakura was slowly drying Naruto's hair, looking like she was paying more attention to talking than to her task. She suddenly let out a laugh and her expression was surprised for a moment before she laughed again and Naruto looked as if the Hokage himself just told him that he was giving the hat to Naruto.

Lee wiggled slightly, not wanting to interrupt at all. He sighed then made a little disappointed sound before going over and saying, "Naru, you should get dressed, it is almost time for Kakashi to show up."

Naruto and Sakura looked surprised and Sakura blushed softly before getting up. Naruto quickly followed and went to grab his clothes. Sasuke did the same and they went around a building and quickly came back, back in their regular clothes.

"Keep the shorts. You will need them for tomorrow too." Lee said and they both nodded, wrapping their swim shorts in the towels for them to dry. That was when a poof suddenly sounded and Kakashi gave his customary,

"Yo."

"You're late!" Naruto and Sakura said automatically though they weren't actually angry.

"Well I saw a black cat and-"

"Lies!" Naruto said, pointing at Kakashi with a frown.

"Oh well." Kakashi said and lifted his hands in a shrug before telling them that he had more missions for them.

Babysitting -Which Lee took care of the three year old while the Genin cleaned up the house. He didn't even want to leave afterwards.-

Then they had the infamous Tora mission -Lee didn't let himself help on this one though he could have gotten Tora quickly. That cat always liked and obeyed him; Lee guessed it was because of Mother.-

When Kakashi left after the second mission with a wave of his hand, Lee turned to the other three and tilted his head.

"You two still willing to help me and Naruto?" Lee asked.

Sakura -who looked extremely tried, most likely because of the weights and constant chakra use- nodded with a tired smile, "Of course." she said

Sasuke gave a short nod with an agreeing "Hn"

"Wonderful!" Lee clapped his hands together and smiled at Naruto who was grinning widely.

"Let's go!" Naruto shouted energetically, already running off.

"Naruto! Wait for us!" Sakura called out, running after him despite it making her pant.

"Well, we cannot be shown up, yes?" Lee said slightly laughing as he looked back at Sasuke. He reached and took Sasuke's hand before running as well, making sure to match his pace with the others.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It took hours still to find the right place, to the point that Lee was carrying Sakura on his back to stop her from overdoing it on her training. The boys had not stopped in trying to balance the balls on their heads either, disregarding the odd looks they were give. They instead, continued to look at each house until they could all agree on a single one -as per Lee's request-, it just happened to be the last one that they all agreed on.

The last one was two stories high and had six bedrooms in total, four bathrooms, a kitchen with an island, a living room, dinning room, and a large back yard. It was close to the main village entrance which was perfect yet close enough to the markets that Lee wouldn't have to go out of his way. A little bonus was that it wasn't too far from the Nara residence either -about an hour if he was walking only. Running normal speed would cut that down to thirty minutes. Running at his fastest speed, with his weights, would make it ten.- despite that Clan Home being on the edge in account of the forest holding their famous deer.

Lee purred and nodded to the owners, telling them that he will take in. He hammered out the details and was happy to hear that he could move in within three days as they were moving and already had a new place picked out. It would just take that time to remove all the stuff they were taking with them.

Lee signed off on the correct amount they'd be taking for him, already paying off everything so he would not have any mortgage to pay off and only the regular bills. Then he turned to the boys and said,

"Alright, Sakura-chan first then we will take you home Sasuke-kun." Lee said and Sakura laughed tiredly from on his back.

"You know, you're really nice, Lee..." Sakura said and Lee could hear the happy smile in her tone.

"Thank you, though I really am not." Lee said, "I am only nice to those I...care about, and that is a very small number."

"But that means you care about us, right?" She mumbled sleepily, too comfy on Lee's warm back.

Naruto grinned, already -hopefully- knowing the answer but still, he listened just so he could be proven right. Sasuke acted as if he wasn't listening but his head was cocked in an angle that had his ear towards them.

"Yes." Lee said as they walked, "Somehow...I have grown attached to you three. I never expected such a thing to happen but all have you have snuck your way in."

' **They were unexpected but...they are not unwanted are they?** '

' _ **No, I like this...I like caring for them. Even Sasuke is crawling his way in and I am finding myself letting him.**_ ' Lee smiled and told the boys to wait as he walked up to Sakura's family door.

He knocked and was let in when he said that Sakura was asleep. It was only slightly a lie but Sakura went along with it as she didn't want to let go just yet either. He took her upstairs to her room and gently set her onto her bed. He removed her shoes and pouches to get her comfy then placed her hiate-ate onto the bedside table.

"Take a shower in the morning Sakura-chan. You deserve rest right now." Lee said and smiled when Sakura sleepily agreed. Lee gave in to his urge and leaned down, gently kissing her forehead.

"Goodnight, my little blossom. I hope you have sweet dreams." He whispered.

"Night Lee...I'm really glad...I met you..." Sakura mumbled, blearily opening her eyes just for a moment to give him a bright smile before slipping off into sleep.

"And I am glad to have met you." Lee whispered then tucked her in before leaving.

Lee felt a flash of hate as he saw Sakura's parents but he smiled politely at them as he left to return to his boys. When he got to them, he took the balls they'd been training with and put them away before taking both of their hands.

"Time to get you back to your house now, Sasuke-kun." Lee said, squeezing the boy's hand before walking.

It was only when they were getting close to the Uchiha complex when Lee looked at Naruto and silently asked him to stay. Naruto got what Lee was getting at and nodded happily. He let go of Lee's hand and leaned against a tree to wait before deciding to train a bit more by climbing.

"Why's the dobe staying back?" Sasuke asked after a moment, shifting nervously even as he continued to 'let' Lee hold his hand.

"Because I thought you would not want him here as I asked you a question." Lee answered and Sasuke paused, making Lee stop as well.

"...What do you want to ask...?" Sasuke asked slowly.

Lee turned his gaze to Sasuke then turned his body as well. He reached and took Sasuke's other hand with no shame, ignoring the way Sasuke's eyes had widened.

"Sasuke-kun..." Lee said, "I want you to live with me."

"...W-wait, what?!" Sasuke said, staring at Lee in surprise, "Why?"

"Because I want you closer to me. I do not like the fact that you are living alone in the big place. It makes me think of you constantly." Lee said, only slightly lying. He'd only thought about it a bit after all but with those thoughts, he hated it still, "I want those I care for, by my side...so...will you please? Live with me?"

Sasuke stayed silent, his ears red as he struggled not to let the color travel further. For Lee to ask him...it felt intimate. Lee wanted him closer? Sasuke tried not to take in in any special way but he felt his palms begin to get clammy and his infernal blush was growing. He tried to think of it from a logical stand point and it did have merits with Lee's new place, plus, with Lee being closer Sasuke could probably learn more and get stronger. Though, even as he thought of that, Sasuke knew even without that stuff his answer would still be the same.

"Whatever. It doesn't matter to me." Sasuke said, playing off his agreement by lying. His cheeks burned red as Lee gave him that _happy_ smile and he had to look away.

" _Wonderful_ ~" Lee purred, "Then pack up whatever you need, we will be moving in a three days."

"Yeah I got it." Sasuke said then he began walking back to his house. He pulled his hand away from one of Lee's hands but didn't let go of the other one, only releasing when he was at the gates.

"See you tomorrow." Sasuke said, glad that his blush faded. Only, it came back with a vengeance as Lee leaned down and kissed his cheek, letting his lips linger before pulling away. Sasuke could still feel the warmth of Lee's lips and his heart was beating too fast in his chest.

"Yes, see you tomorrow, my little wolf." Lee said with a warm smile, gently stroking Sasuke's hair before leaving to get back to Naruto.

He traveled through the shadows to get to Naruto's side quicker and as soon as he called for Naruto's attention, he said, "Mission accomplished."

"Yeah!" Naruto shouted, punching his fist in the air, "Now all we need is Sakura-chan!"

"Correct, all we need is a little time for her." Lee said, something possessive lighting in Lee's eyes, "We will have our own personal family, my precious Naru." Lee smiled and stroked Naruto's cheek, "Is that not wonderful~"

Naruto leaned into Lee's touch and grinned, "It's awesome, I can't wait!"


	12. Chapter 12

Two full months passed with almost nothing truly happening. Lee continued to train with Team Seven, teaching them new things. He was staring Sakura on a special taijutsu that emphasized on her chakra control. As long as she gave a burst of chakra right before hitting her opponent, she could crush just about anything. As for the boys, he was training Sasuke to take orders better by having him blindfolded while he attacked him. Sakura and Naruto would call out to him, telling him when to duck of jump. Naruto was still doing chakra control but Lee had him sparring with Sakura at the same time, making both of them multitask. Safe to say, it was mostly Sakura who was calling out directions for Sasuke. He did find out how good Naruto was at traps though and had him work on perfecting that as a fallback.

He successfully moved into his new house with Naruto and Sasuke. That was a mission and a half considering Naruto and Sasuke liked to _bicker_. Lee wasn't ashamed to admit to -playfully- trying to smother one of them with a pillow just to get them to shut up, or shoving food into their mouth. Really, anything was acceptable. Sakura was coming over more often as well; Lee counted four days out of seven when she would spend the night especially after a hard training session. Slowly, Lee was trying to get her to just move in as well. He liked it when she helped him cook breakfast in the morning, and even dinner when she wasn't too tried.

Lee had spoken with Neji…

_Four A.M and Lee was at Team Gai's waiting spot. He could feel Neji's eyes on him and it made him want to shift. He looked towards the boy from the corner of his eye and saw that he was right; Neji was practically burning holes into him. Lee turned his eyes away and stayed quiet, having already went through his teasing routine. He then pushed off the tree just as Gai appeared in a puff of smoke._

_Gai told us how to train and Lee immediately went to his normal spot but didn't even start with his taijutsu as he knew Neji would follow him. He was correct._

" _Lee." Neji's voice came._

_Lee slowly turned his gaze onto the Hyuuga and his lips automatically quirked into something sensual but all together fake._

" _Neji…what a surprise." He said_

" _Have you given in?" Neji asked, wasting no time. He stepped closer and closer until he was practically pinning Lee against the thick training tree post without actually touching him._

_Lee's lips stretched into a wider smile that almost looked more like he was baring his teeth at Neji instead._

" _You say it is destiny but I will only accept those truly worthy to be my mate." Lee said then dropped to 'safe' habit of flirting and leaned close to Neji, "So prove it to me, Neji~. Show me that you can be what I_ need _."_

_For once, Neji didn't falter, he took Lee's chin and leaned in closer, his breath hitting Lee's lips, making the boy shiver._

" _You cannot fight fate, Lee. You'll see that soon." Neji said, his eyes boring into Lee's, burning and threatening to consume Lee if given even the slightest chance._

_Then they heard Tenten calling for Neji to spar with her._

But the most surprising thing to happen was Shikamaru seeking him out to invite him to lunch.

_Lee turned his eyes away from those he considered his and looked to the right. He felt someone familiar coming closer and immediately placed it as Shikamaru. His heart skipped but Lee scolded himself, thinking that he shouldn't be acting in such a way._

_Kakashi vanished in a cloud of smoke just as Shikamaru turned the building corner and Lee had to forced his eyes away before the boy could notice him. He looked towards Team Seven as they turned to him expectantly. It made him smile that they had gotten used to him teaching them, leading them. Lee straightened off the railing and opened his mouth to tell them what they would be training when they all heard,_

" _Lee." Shikamaru said in greeting and subtle question._

_Lee's heart skipped again and he couldn't stop a shy smile as he turned back to the shadow user, saying, "Shikamaru-kun, hello! What are you doing here?"_

_Lee felt the three Genin of Team Seven scoot closer to him and glanced at them amused. Sakura looked inviting as did Naruto while Sasuke was kind of glaring. He must be mad at the fact Shikamaru was interrupting their training._

_Shikamaru rubbed the back of his neck and seemed to be nervous. He sighed and muttered "Troublesome…" under his breath before speaking a little louder, "You want to have lunch with me?" there was a moment of silence before Shikamaru's ears turned red and he quickly added, "Chouji and Ino will be there. Ino wants to meet you again."_

_Lee felt his lips turn up into a bright smile without him telling himself to do it. His cheeks felt warm and he tried to flirt but his tongue actually felt a little clumsy as he said, "Oh? I would love to, though, dinner with just you would not be- as you say, a drag?"_

_Shikamaru stared for a moment then looked away, his hand coming up to rub at his mouth which was trying to turn up into a grin. Red dusted the tips of his ears, a similar shade that was staining Lee's cheeks. Shikamaru chuckled and said, "We'll do that tomorrow then, huh? Might not be that troublesome."_

_Lee felt like he was grinning like a fool and bit his lips to stop. He nodded and looked back at the other three. Sakura was staring at him with a happy smile and Naruto looked surprisingly protective, looking at Shikamaru suspiciously. Though, Sasuke was the most interesting so far, the boy was straight out glaring at Shikamaru, making Lee raise an eyebrow._

It made his stomach twist pleasantly, hanging out with the Genin of Team 10, and sometimes eating with Shikamaru _alone_. Eating with Shikamaru alone was something completely different from the team lunches where even his Team Seven would join.

_After the first lunch with just him and Shikamaru, Lee found himself accompanying the shadow user almost every other day. Lee didn't think he'd ever tried so many different places since he came to Konoha in the first place. It was an experience and…it felt like what Mother called 'Dates'. Though, it didn't help that Shikamaru never sat opposite him but beside him._

_Lee had to struggle not to just press himself against Shikamaru on these…dates, and just inhale that oh so nice scent of sandalwood and fresh grass. It made it too easy to imagine a future when he fell asleep with that scent in his nose. It was on 'date' five when Lee messed up and did exactly what he mentally swore not to do. He'd been tired from a mission that had him finishing in a night so he hadn't been able to sleep just so his kittens wouldn't know he'd been gone._

_So Lee had found himself pressing against Shikamaru's shoulder, lightly nuzzling it and inhaling with a purr. When he realized what he was doing, he froze and hesitantly looked up at Shikamaru's face from where he was. His face slowly burned as Shikamaru just stared at him before quickly turning his head away. In that moment, Lee felt like his stomach just dropped but then he a slightly larger hand grip his own. Lee's breath hitched and he looked down to see that Shikamaru really was holding his hand._

" _Damn…why do you have to look like that. So troublesome." Shikamaru said and Lee felt confused. Even Mother felt confused._

" _W…what do you mean?" Lee slowly asked, shifting so he could pull away but Shikamaru's hand tightened around his own and tugged so he was pressed against Shikamaru's side again._

" _You're cute. Too cute." Shikamaru said in careless drawl, but his burning ears gave away his really feelings, "You're scary as hell when you train but you have this side to you…maybe dad was right."_

_Lee blushed hotly and almost felt tempted to hide when Shikamaru finally looked back at him._

" _Don't let anyone else see this, okay. It'd be way too troublesome…I'd never get another moment alone with you."_

Lee still didn't know where Shikamaru had learned to say such things but the memory alone still made his stomach feel like wasps were buzzing around and his heart would start racing in his chest. Mother had officially stamped her approval for Shikamaru and all that was left in her mind was to give Shikamaru the 'mating bite'.

But there was still the issue that Shikamaru was Shikaku's heir. Lee still didn't know if the Sexy jutsu would truly work and allow him to actually give birth. He'd need someone skilled in medical jutsu to know and Lee simply didn't trust the medics in Konoha, neither did Mother.

He was fourteen though, he had a year at minimum to find out at least.

Lee sighed and brought himself out of his thoughts and memories just in time to see Tora get taken by its owner for the hundredth –probably more than that- time. Sarutobi looked through the mission log, telling them of the other D-rank mission's they could do when Naruto began complaining, telling Saurtobi to give them something better, like a C-rank mission.

Lee sighed and couldn't fault that. He was tired of it too though he got short A-ranks as well. He hated D-ranks though he did adore spending time with his little Genin team. So he listened to _his_ little team get the Hokage to give them a C-rank mission.

To protect a bridge builder named Tazuna.

Lee sighed, hiding a grimace.

This was going to be _fun_.

Just as the others left to go pack, the Hokage called out his name and Lee stayed back. His lips immediately quirked into a polite smile and when Sarutobi made everyone else leave, his smile took on a mocking quality.

"Oh? Another mission?" Lee said, a slight sneer in his tone.

Sarutobi sighed and set down his hat, "Yes, I apologize but you are best suited for this." He said, "This mission will allow you to go half way with Team Seven. It is the most I could do."

Lee bit out a harsh chuckle and rolled his shoulders with a dangerous air, "I am sure _Hokage-sama_. I am merely a tool at your disposal."

Lee took the scroll and read it quickly before setting it aflame, "It seems that I will be back in a week."

With that, Lee dismissed himself and left to help his little one's pack for their first time out of the village.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They'd all been walking for a few hours. The sun shone brightly, proof of the hot days that have passed with no hint of rain. Lee listened as the three genin chatted with each other and even chuckled as Naruto got on Tazuna's nerves. He didn't like the man; it felt like he was hiding something.

Then, they passed a puddle on the ground.

Instead of looking towards Kakashi, Sakura turned her gaze to Lee. She felt relief when Lee smiled and subtly shook his head, proving her right about what she saw. She hurried her steps, bringing herself right next to Naruto and when the boys looked at her, she shook her head. They gave her short nods back.

Lee felt that now familiar warmth of pride as Sakura figured out what was wrong, though it was incredibly obvious. He watched the silent conversation between his three Genin and heard Kakashi chuckle.

"Seems like they trust you more than me." Kakashi said, not actually sounding upset of mad about it.

"They would trust you if you were the one training them." Lee said, sparing nothing. He slid his gaze to Kakashi then sighed, whispering, "Though I do get it. You did not want a team did you?"

"No," Kakashi admitted, "But…they're not bad."

"So you will at least pave their way?"

"Yes, I am the Jonin who can. I'm their leader in name. I know you've been training them while I take on other missions."

"How… _kind_ of you." Lee said with a smile plastered on his face. If he didn't care for Team Seven so much, he would tell Kakashi that he owed those kids. But they were his kittens now, and the only way Kakashi was getting near them was if he wasn't there or Sasuke got his Sharingan.

"Just keep them safe in my absence Kakashi. I have grown extremely fond of these ones." Lee said, a hint of warning in his tone.

"Maa maa, I'm not going to let kids get killed." There was a sort of tightness in Kakashi's tone. He knew that Lee was leaving half way.

"Of that I know, but I am afraid I get a little…overprotective of my _kittens_." Lee said and he brought his gaze forward.

"Ah…" Kakashi made a sound of understanding then sighed, "I guess its show time."

"Indeed." Lee huffed, amused and he quickened his steps just in time to miss the chains flying from the trees.

Kakashi was 'ripped apart' right in front of them and Lee jumped forward, placing himself near the Genin. Two men appeared and Lee sniffed the air to find a new bitterness in the wind.

"Poison! Avoid their claws!" Lee ordered and his words seemed to get them in motion.

"Sasuke-kun, long range! Protect Tazuna-san!" Sakura quickly said, analyzing the situation. Her mind defaulted to their training simulations and she quickly took the poison into account and said, "Naruto, clones!"

Sasuke nodded briefly and jumped back, taking a position in front of their client. Naruto didn't even say his jutsu as per their training and multiple shadow clones popped up. The real Naruto stayed back as the clones ran forward, their bodies stopping the chain weapon before poofing away.

Lee looked around and said, "We only need one." loud enough for them to hear then continued, saying, "Remember what they did to Kakashi."

The three finally nodded, their bodies going from hesitant tenseness to that of determination. Sasuke quickly did his handsigns and took in a deep breath before blowing out fire towards their enemies. Right as the fire went out, one of the enemies shot out of the tree line towards Naruto. Sakura dashed towards them and jumped on the man's back at the last moment, curling her arm around the man's windpipe and choking him.

The guy scrambled and reached to stab her with his claws but Naruto gripped both of his wrists where he couldn't move them. Lee shot forward and covered Naruto's eyes, whispering, "Do not look into their eyes. It changes you…"

Lee knew that Naruto could feel the man's rapid pulse through his wrists and how it was starting to slow down. He turned his gaze to Sakura who kept tightening her grip though her eyes were tightly closed as well. Then, he let his eyes trail to Sasuke who was staring at them with wide eyes though his form was still tense with the readiness of being able to attack at the drop of a pin.

Naruto suddenly gasped and Lee's eyes snapped back to them. The man had already fallen to his knees and was no longer struggling. The only thing that seemed to be holding him up was Naruto. Sakura let go as if burned and he knew she could feel it too, that lack of pulse against her arm. She panted as if it had been her to be the one choking and she was shaking.

Lee slowly removed his hands from Naruto's eyes and slid them down until he was holding Naruto's hands, slowly making him release the dead man.

"Your first death…" Lee said, "is always the hardest. This is the life you chose when you became academy students." Lee stared then reached down and pulled Sakura up and into his arms along with Naruto.

"But take this to heart. You protected each other. It was either you or them. Never feel guilt or sorrow over choosing yourself and your loved ones over them." He finished and endured their tight holds. He pet their hair, never bringing their shaking to attention and instead brought his eyes back to Sasuke who hadn't stopped staring.

Two down, one to go.

Kakashi came back, holding the other man knocked out under his arm. He took in the sight and his eyes widened before it closed and Lee could hear him sigh.

"Is anyone hurt?" Kakashi called out to them.

Naruto and Sakura took one last breath before they both pulled back and shook their heads. Naruto glanced at Sakura before suddenly taking her hand, making her tense for a moment before quickly relaxing. He whispered a quiet but meaningful "Thank you…" to her and after a moment, she squeezed his hand with a nod and began pulling him towards Sasuke and Kakashi.

Lee walked up to Sasuke and placed a hand on his shoulder, immediately noticing how tense the boy was. He slid his hand to the back of Sasuke's neck and gently squeezed. For a moment, Sasuke tensed further before suddenly relaxing.

"They were after Tazuna-san." Lee said and the bridge builder tensed this time.

"Yes, I noticed." Kakashi turned his eye onto Tazuna then it went into that eye smile but there was no crinkle, "It seems me and you have something to talk about."

Tazuna gulped then began stuttering before sighing and telling them the truth and weaving a pity story in it as well. A man named Gato was after him, trying to stop him and the others from completing the bridge. His family was in danger and Gato was willing to kill them too.

Lee looked disdainfully at the man then looked at his Genin and asked, "What do you three want to do…? Think about it."

"We should go back to Konoha." Kakashi said, looking at Lee and Lee felt his eye but kept his own gaze on the other three.

Naruto was the one to talk, "If Sakura-chan and Sasuke agree then we go. It's our duty to finish the mission but not at the cost of our lives."

"Good~" Lee said with a warm smile, "That is correct. So, you two, what are your choices?"

Sasuke scoffed and pushed his hands into his pockets and said, "Can't let him get all the action." Sasuke said shrugging towards Naruto.

Sakura sighed then smiled, "I go where my family goes."

" _Wonderful_ ~" Lee purred and reached out, stroking their hair one after the other.

He heard Kakashi sigh and mumble, "Lucky I want to know what's going on."

Lee chuckled then went over to the other enemy. It was the 'famous' Demon brothers, now that he actually looked. He shook his head and looked at Kakashi, quietly asking, "Do you want to dispose of the last brother?"

"It's a good idea." Kakashi said and Lee nodded.

Lee motioned the three to follow him and though he had the chance to make Sasuke be the one to dispatch the lone brother, he decided not to. No, Sasuke wouldn't be the one to kill; Naruto and Sakura was enough for now.

"Come on, kittens." Lee said, "We have a liar to bring back home."

"H-hey!" Tazuna said but then stopped and paled as Lee looked straight at him for the first time. The cold look in those eyes made him shiver and he couldn't believe someone so young could have that look in their eyes. He was glad when Lee finally looked away and had to take a breath.

Lee smiled at the three and gently ushered them to continue. Naruto and Sakura stuck to either side of him and Lee took their hands in silent comfort. They felt a bit cold but they were better than earlier.

"Naru, Saku-chan, Sasuke-kun…" Lee murmured quietly, gaining only their attention. He looked at them then let his gaze turn to the dirt road in front of them again, "I am afraid that I will not be going all the way with you three."

"Kaa-chan?" Naruto said, taking Lee's cue and keeping his voice quiet.

"The Hokage gave me a mission after all of you left. He…allowed me to go with you three halfway but my mission is out of the way." Lee answered Naruto's silent question.

"You'll be meeting another team then?" Sasuke asked, hands in his pockets.

"Nope." Lee lightly popped the 'p' in his answer.

They all nodded and Lee knew that they had forgotten that he was technically a Genin as well. Oh well, it was better for him in the end.

"Will you be okay?" Sakura asked hesitantly, holding Lee's hand tighter.

"Of course, Saku-chan." Lee turned a smile to her and said, "I will be back in Konoha before you three. I will be sure to meet you at the gate, alright?"

They nodded once again and Lee started whispering information about Mist. Avoid the water; keep the fight on the ground. Don't use fire jutsu's, it will most likely backfire. Fight to kill, they won't spare you.

When they got to the boat that would take them into Mist, Lee turned to the Genin of Team Seven and said, "No matter what, survive. I want you all coming back to me."

He looked at all three and was only satisfied when they nodded. Lee smiled at them and one by one, kissed their cheeks.

"I will miss you all dearly and I will always be thinking of you." Lee said

Then he watched them get into the boat and the man in the boat paddled them away. He stayed there until he couldn't see them anymore then sighed and stepped into a tree's shadow, disappearing immediately.


	13. Chapter 13

Lee removed his Konoha hiate-ate and hid it away as he shadow walked towards his destination. Between each shadow, something else changed on Lee. Multiple shadow hops had his outfit changing in to a dark red dress, then his lips were shiny with gloss and his eyelashes were emphasized. Last, his ninja shoes were switched with ninja boot heels that looked like civilian heels.

Lee stopped at the last tree shadow and stared out at the large expanse of desert. He huffed a slight chuckle, miles crossed within an hour and now the longest part would be crossing the desert to get to Suna where his target had last been spotted. Still, at least he had his disguise that wouldn't be detected by chakra. He always thought that dressing as the opposite gender like this was the best way to slip past practically anything.

No chakra to give him away, and civilians were always the best to imitate, especially women.

' _ **Roten Daiki, you have been a very naughty one.'**_ Lee thought with a slightly demented giggle, ' _ **Slaughtering almost an entire town. Only, you left a few alive to pay for your head on a pike~**_ '

' **And he will pay for such unrefined playing. Let us go Little one, Mother is feeling a little…restless.** '

Lee purred and dashed forward, pulling out a tan coat from a sealing scroll in his bag at the same time. He wrapped it around his shoulders as he ran and he pulled up the hood to protect his face from the sun. Lee ran for the entire day and into the next one with no stopping.

He arrived at the gates to Suna early the next morning and he stepped into another shadow. He slipped between each patch of darkness, and reappeared inside of the village. When he stepped out of the darkness, his hair was undone and spilling out from under his hood.

He immediately made his way to the market to gather information through gossip.

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Three days passed with Lee traversing the different 'watering holes' of Suna, every place where people would gather to gossip. The park that had sand and swings only, the bars where men would gather and speak in either loud or hushed tones, then his favorite, the markets.

So far, Roten was still here, not even trying to lay low. He was a nuke-nin with no affiliations so he didn't think he had to worry about hunter nin but he'd messed up and now he had Lee trailing him. Lee giggled softly, feeling a flare of excitement well up within him. He could hardly wait to _play_.

Lee made his way to the Inn that Roten was staying at and snuck into the room he knew the man was staying in. Lee slipped into clothes that he could burn afterwards then went about soundproofing the room. It was night when he heard stumbling footsteps and knew that his target was drunk. Lee purred and just waited.

The door opened then shut. There was the sound of the lock sliding in place then the man turned and saw him.

"Hello, Roten-san. We are going to have some fun tonight~"

"Who are-?!"

Lee lunged from his spot, eyes alight with mad glee.

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He slipped through the crowd on the fourth day, looking at the things that were selling in the mid-morning. Last night had been _wonderful_ , all that blood and those tendons separating under his claws. Lee shivered in pleasure before bringing his mind back to the present. He hummed softly as he used this time to just be idle, to calm himself. He knew he'd have to run the entire night again to make it back to Konoha before his time was up. If all went well, his kittens should be home at the week's end.

Lee held in a purr and pulled off his hood to try on a trinket while still listening. He picked up the glass bead hair clip and looked in the mirror by the stand as he tried it on.

' **You look cute, little one. You should get it.** ' Matatabi purred softly in that motherly way of hers.

Lee smiled and did as she said, buying the little trinket and keeping it in his hair. Then, just as he stepped away from the stand, he felt familiar chakra brush against his. It was burning and deadly bit held a hint of curiosity. Lee's breath hitched as he felt sand touch his bare legs under his coat and dress. Barely holding back a shiver, Lee looked to where he could feel eyes burning into him and his glossy lips slowly spread into a smile as he met green eyes.

"Gaara~" Lee whispered too quietly for anyone to hear.

He giggled and began walking, heading away from the crowd and into the more urban area. He could feel that _deliciously hungry_ chakra follow him and he slipped into an alley way. It took merely a second before Gaara was suddenly in front of him, arms crossed and staring with an intense emotion. It felt like want, but want for what? Knowledge? Him? Oh, he wouldn't have minded that…

"You…" Gaara was the first to speak, his deep raspy voice sending shivers up Lee's spine.

"Hello again, _Gaara_ ~" Lee purred softly, leaning against the sandstone building. He let his eyes trail Gaara's body, the power under that pale skin seemed to practically ooze from the red head. It made Lee positively ache.

"…What are you doing here?" Gaara didn't sound like he was asking a question; it was more like a demand for Lee's answer.

Lee just smiled, eyes lighting with amusement, "I had a mission." He said

Gaara blinked slowly and he looked Lee over, eyes lingering in certain places as he viewed the 'girl', "You're a kunoichi…" he said, slowly.

"Shinobi, Gaara-kun~" Lee corrected though that could mean two different things.

Gaara suddenly scowled and said a dark, "No."

"No?" Lee repeated, slightly tilting his head.

"I don't want to hear that, it irritates me."

"That I am a shinobi?"

"No."

There was only one other difference in his sentence then…Lee slowly questioned, "…'kun' then?"

"Yes"

A giggle escaped from Lee's shiny lips and he purred, "I will stick with just Gaara then~"

How interesting… Lee liked this conversation though he knew he should just be focusing on his mission. Even Mother was giggling in his mind, whispering at how lovely Gaara was being. Straight to the point, not hesitating in getting what he wanted. It was rather enticing, the way Gaara made everything sound like a command. A natural leader…

"Where are you from." Gaara _commanded_ Lee to answer. Ever since that day months before Lee had been in the back of his mind, on his mind… he even remembered the burning feeling of those lips on his face. When he thought he could finally forget, he saw the red imprint 'she'd' left and the memory hadn't left since.

"Why do you ask?" Lee played the fool and Gaara growled lowly, sending another shiver up Lee's spine.

Irritation hinted in Gaara's voice as he _demanded_ , "Answer me."

Lee's eyes flashed and he suddenly pushed himself from the wall and stepped close to Gaara. The red heads sand didn't rise to block him as he leaned in until his lips were practically caressing Gaara's ear as he whispered a dark, playful, "Make me~"

Lee heard Gaara's breath hitch in his ear then the boy inhaled deeply. His voice was so _rough_ as he said, "You're doing it again…what is this."

Lee hummed curiously and slipped closer, until his body was lightly pressing against Gaara's still crossed arms. He raised his arms and lightly ran his fingertips up Gaara's covered biceps, feeling them twitch. He giggled softly and said, "What do you mean _Gaa-ra~_ "

Lee had a moment to feel Gaara's arms twitch against him then he was suddenly pressed against the wall by Gaara's _hands_. Lee's breath hitched then he laughed, feeling strangely _excited_. Lee purred audibly, his heart beating fast in his chest as he stared straight into Gaara's darkened eyes.

Gaara paused, feeling almost out of control, but different from how Shukaku made him. He growled in frustration and narrowed his eyes at _Lee_. His body felt hot under his armor and he had a strange urge to _bite_ the 'girl' in front of him. He heard laughter in his head and tensed as he knew it was 'Mother', he waited for the chants to kill but they didn't come.

"What has you so tense _Gaara_ …" Lee breathed, lightly licking his lips.

Gaara's gaze was dragged to those lips and he grit his teeth at the stronger urge to _bite_. A deep rumble escaped his chest and he growled, " **What are you doing to me**."

Lee's breath hitched again and he shifted his leg, dragging it up the outside of Gaara's leg, "I am doing nothing _Gaara,_ you are the one holding me down."

Gaara twitched as he felt Lee's leg and he suddenly pressed closer. His breath coming out ragged as he felt the unfamiliar heat of another body pressed against his front, "You're _enjoying_ this." He suddenly said, eyes _burning_ , "You enjoy being _tainted_ by my _touch_."

"If this is taint, then _please_ …make me _dirty_." Lee didn't even know what he was saying anymore. He was being swept up in a tide of emotion that was familiar yet not at the same time.

' **Kitten, there are others approaching. Ninja.'** Mother suddenly said, sounding regretful and slightly angry.

Lee blinked and tore his eyes away from Gaara's. A frown crossed his lips as he felt the unfamiliar chakra signatures approaching. He made a 'tsk' sound then looked back at Gaara who was still staring at him and said, "I am afraid you will have to dirty me another time, Gaara. We have company."

"I don't care."

Lee giggled, "Well, I cannot be caught." He said then slipped his arms out of Gaara's hands and cupped his face.

"I will see you next time." Lee purred, suddenly taking a chance and pressing his lips to Gaara's. He kissed the red head hard but sweetly at the same time, lightly licking Gaara's upper lip before fading back into the shadows of the alley and disappearing.

When Temari and Kankuro showed up at the alley to inform Gaara that their father wished to inform him of a new mission, they were confused. They found Gaara staring wide eyed at the building wall with his hands pressing against the sandstone.

"G-…Gaara…?" Temari stuttered hesitantly and flinched when Gaara's head snapped towards them. Then her expression turned fearful _and_ confused, "U-uh…Father…he has a new m-mission for us."

Gaara looked away from them and vanished in a whirl of sand, leaving her and Kankuro alone.

"Did Gaara have…?" Kankuro began and Temari just stared at where her youngest brother had vanished.

"He has gloss on his lips…" Temari whispered, horrified and wondering just who was _insane_ enough to _kiss_ Gaara.

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Lee laughed as he ran through the desert, clearing the Suna gates easily. He felt _excited_ like he usually would straight after a kill. It was _invigorating_.

"How strange~!" Lee sang, laughing again.

' **What is strange, little one?** ' Mother questioned in his head, laughing softly as well.

"Them! This! Me! All of it is strange!" Lee answered, smiling widely, "I do not even know my path anymore! All these people, creating different feelings within me! It is all so strange and wonderful and terrifying!"

He felt a bit breathless as he put his thoughts into words and his only reply was Mother laughing again but he didn't mind.

He wanted to see his kittens again. That's what he needed to do.

Lee ran through the night again but did not shadow walk as soon as he got to the forest. There was still an itch under his skin like he wanted to fight, to play, and Lee could only hope that he ran into some nuke-nins before getting home.

It was the next day, after fighting with three separate groups, that Lee saw the Konoha gates. It was the seventh day, the day that Lee had told the Hokage he'd be back on and hopefully, he was ahead of his kittens.

Lee stopped before getting to the gates and changed into his normal outfit that only left his fingertips, toes, and face revealed, then tied his hiate-ate around his waist before heading into Konoha with a extra glide to his steps.

Report first, then he could see if Team Seven had reported back yet.

So after he had given the important details to Sarutobi, Lee asked if Team Seven had come back yet.

They hadn't.

Lee felt simultaneously relived yet worried. It was still early though, so he expected them to get here in the afternoon at least. Lee nodded and dismissed himself once again, using the Hokage's window as an exit.

He hopped from roof to roof, trying to decide what to do, then thought that he would go home first and shower. He still felt the vague tickling sensation of sand where it shouldn't be. He took a relaxing shower and changed into a fresher pair of his personal clothing; still the same tight black turtle neck and black spandex pants. He braided his hair once more and debated on what to eat when he heard a knocking at his front door.

Lee blinked and turned his head towards the door as he had been walking down the hallway stairs. He quickened his steps and sent out his chakra to feel who it could be. His heart skipped a beat.

It was Shikamaru.


	14. Chapter 14

"Shikamaru-kun?" Lee said, holding the door open as he stared, he felt that now familiar blush rising to his cheeks and viciously forced it down, not wanting to embarrass himself, "H-hello! What are you doing here? N-not that I am unhappy to see you- I mean…"

Shikamaru chuckled, his lips quirking up into a crooked smile that made Lee's knee's feel strangely weak.

"Hey," Shikamaru said, pushing his hands into his pockets as he slowly shifted on his feet, "You got time? Mom has been wanting to invite you over to eat."

"Oh," Lee blinked, surprised. Despite Yoshino taking a shine to him, he didn't think that the woman would want him over again. Did Shikaku not tell her what he was? No, stupid question, Sarutobi made it classified information. Still, it was Shikaku…

"I would love to." Lee finally said, smiling a bit shyly at the shadow user.

The crooked smile became a full one and Shikamaru nodded, "Whenever you're ready then."

Lee nodded and simply got his sandals, "Ready now!" he said, closing the door behind him.

Lee looked at Shikamaru and shyly smiled again before moving close and slowly threading his arm through Shikamaru's. He spied red tinting Shikamaru's ears but the boy gave him another crooked smile that made his insides flutter and Lee felt _happy_.

And maybe his kittens would be back after?

"How have you been? Has training been good?" Lee asked and giggled as Shikamaru sighed a groan.

"It's been a drag. Ino's been nagging me but she hates it when she gets sweaty so it's pointless and just more yelling." Shikamaru rolled the shoulder Lee wasn't against in a shrug, "I'd rather watch the clouds or sleep."

"Hm…" Lee frowned lightly, "Is she not taking her training seriously?"

That wasn't good, she was _Shikamaru's_ teammate. She could be the cause of Shikamaru getting hurt or _dying_. No, he didn't like that at all… Maybe he should visit them when they were training? Sarutobi's son didn't know who he was… Maybe if Sarutobi 'allowed' it, Asuma would 'let' him help?

"It's Ino." Shikamaru shrugged again.

"Ino-chan is a very lovely girl but…all of you can get hurt once you three go outside the village gates. I do not want that to happen…" Lee said, slightly hugging Shikamaru's arm.

"Don't worry, I plan to be an average ninja, no life-threatening mission's for me." Shikamaru said and Lee almost smiled wryly.

' _Plans almost never turn out how you want them where it concerns the future._ ' Lee thought to himself

"Still…do you think Asuma-san will mind if I check on you during training?" Lee said out loud and Shikamaru sighed.

"What a drag. You're going to be scary aren't you?" Shikamaru sighed again but continued, saying, "He's a pretty cool guy, so I think he'll allow it."

Lee pressed a smile against Shikamaru's shoulder and nodded, "Good."

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Lee decided that he liked the Nara's immensely. Shikaku was by far his favorite adult and Lee knew that if need be, he would very willingly listen to the man. Shikaku was smart and very easy going and open minded as well, it made Mother say that she almost wished that the man was not married. That was high praise indeed!

But Lee also liked Yoshino. She was a very sure of herself woman and Lee could find himself hanging out with her more. She was headstrong and it was very obvious that she was the 'boss' of the family, with the way that Shikaku gave into her. It was actually pretty funny and it made his respect for her grow, but he noticed that she did have a sweet side. Even her smile was a bit sweet. She gave him a ribbon to tie his hair when his elastic broke mid meal. Well, she gave it after re-braiding his hair and tying it with the dark green silk.

He…he thought that he would really like to be in that family.

But that was just a dream that Lee knew wouldn't come true. Even if he could give birth, which he would need to since Shikamaru was the clan heir; he was still a demon holder. Being a demon holder alone might just barely be okay because Shikaku was an open minded person but he was Ikiryou. He wasn't all right in the head and Lee knew that no matter what, it was all too likely that he would not have just one mate. As much as it saddened him, Lee very much doubted that Shikamaru would be open to sharing him.

Still, at least he could enjoy this while it lasted.

That's why Lee stayed for as long as they allowed, only keeping his senses out for Kurama's chakra as he could sense that further than regular chakra.

As night began to fall, Lee grew worried. He couldn't feel his kittens or Kurama, it made his lips turn down in a subtle frown.

"What?" Shikamaru asked, looking up from the game they were playing. Lee blinked is surprise then gave Shikamaru an apologetic smile.

"I apologize, it is just…Team Seven was meant to be home today…" Lee said then softly sighed, "Yet I cannot feel their chakra anywhere."

"You're a chakra sensor?" Shikamaru asked before saying, "Anyway, I'm sure they're okay. Naruto's pretty resilient, plus, it's a C-rank, right? Not too much danger on those."

"Well, I can…" Lee took one of Shikamaru's moves and shrugged, then he bit his lip, "And…I do not think it is a C-rank anymore. I can only hope that Kakashi is keeping his promise."

Shikamaru gave Lee a questioning look but when Lee didn't say anything more, he changed the subject and said, "You are on first name bases with a few people."

Lee blinked and tilted his head in question.

"You must be very close with them..."

Lee hummed and thought about it, "I suppose...in different ways. I do not really think I am."

That made Shikamaru pause and he lifted his gaze from the board and onto Lee. There was a slight furrow in Shikamaru's brows as he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Ah..." Lee placed his hands in his lap as he was the one to turn his eyes to the board now, "I find myself not wanting to tell you..."

Shikamaru let his intelligent eyes roam Lee's figure. He pushed aside his attraction and tried to see anything that could give him a clue as to what Lee was thinking. Only, Lee was sitting straight backed, his body giving away no clues beside the fact that he wasn't looking at him. It made Shikamaru frown and he found himself _frustrated_ that he couldn't read the older boy. He rubbed the back of his head in that same frustration and said, "You know...you can tell me. Pretty sure nothing could change my opinion of you at this point."

The smile Lee gave Shikamaru made something twist in the Nara's gut. It was wry and humorous in a way that made Shikamaru know that Lee was saying 'Oh Shikamaru-kun. If only you knew.'. Shikamaru's eyes sharpened and he sat up straight.

"Do you have something to tell me?" Shikamaru asked.

"...I suppose..." Lee said, "There are many things I want to tell you. For now...I will say that I am not a nice person."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow and waited.

Lee chuckled softly and said, "They know who I am. They-" Lee paused then changed what he was going to say, "That is usually what allows me to call them by their name. There is only one who does not know is Naru."

"Know you?" Shikamaru repeated.

Lee lifted his gaze and stared at Shikamaru. His stare seemed to make Shikamaru subconsciously straighten up even more. Lee tilted his head and slowly shifted, moving to his knees and crawling towards the Nara heir. His stomach felt like butterflies were in it and when he got close enough, he put his hand on Shikamaru's chest. He could feel Shikamaru's rapid heartbeat under his fingertips and smiled at Shikamaru's intense gaze.

"Yes..." Lee whispered, "You see...I am-"

Lee paused and cocked his head before he was suddenly in his seat again and the door slid open. Yoshino poked her head in and opened her mouth but then she paused and stared at Shikamaru before grinning.

"Lee-chan, will you be spending the night?"

Lee blinked in surprise and looked at Shikamaru in question. The boy kept his eyes trained on the opposite corner of the room. Lee huffed out a slight chuckle then turned to look at the woman with a smile, "I would not want to trouble you, Yoshino."

"It's no trouble at all!" She said and her grin was full of energy. She then turned and left the room, yet they could both hear her yell. "Shikaku! Help me prepare a room! Lee-chan's staying with us!"

They didn't hear a reply but both could easily imagine the sigh that Shikaku would give before getting up and helping his wife. Lee smiled and shook his head in amusement before thinking about what he almost did. Just what was he going to say? That he was a demon? That he was Ikiryou, a name in the bingo book that had a 'kill on sight' and a 'do not approach alone' tagged to it. Or…was he going to tell Shikamaru the he was, for all purposes, _insane_?

Any one of those could have forever pushed Shikamaru away and that thought…that thought sent something cold plunging to his stomach.

Shikamaru stared at him for a long moment then sighed and motioned to the game they'd been playing. Lee smiled and they continued until it was time to sleep. All in all, Lee really liked being with Shikamaru.

That night, it wasn't as nice. Lee tossed and turned in his borrowed bed. It felt strangely large and cold and Lee didn't understand until Mother pointed it out to him. He'd grown used to sharing his bed with the boys. He'd shared with Naruto for months now and he'd even got Sasuke to sleep beside them when Lee knew that he'd had a nightmare. Lee liked those nights the most when he would hold both of them close like they were his real kittens. They would always press hard against his sides but it always made Lee feel a bit sad that they would cling to him so tightly.

Lee growled softly and sat up. He felt vaguely irritated for not being able to sleep for going on three days now. He hadn't even been able to have his catnaps! Lee didn't even give it one thought as he got out of bed, fixing his borrowed sleepwear. He locked onto Shikamaru's chakra and left the room with single minded determination. He found Shikamaru's room quickly and slipped in, closing the door quietly behind him before going to the bed. He saw Shikamaru sleeping and had to pause for a moment.

The Nara heir really was handsome…it made Lee's cheeks warm but he pushed away the thought. He just wanted to sleep. So he crawled onto the bed.

That was when Shikamaru woke up. He frowned and his eyes shot opened before they quickly widened at the sight of Lee crawling towards him. His hair was slipping out of its usual braid and he had a…rather adorable irritated look on his face.

"Lee…?" Shikamaru whispered, not even realizing that he'd dropped any suffix. His heart was beating fast and his ears were burning. He felt too awake for just waking up but Lee usually had that effect on him.

Lee looked at Shikamaru and subtly pouted, feeling annoyed with himself, "I do not like sleeping alone anymore." He said before slipping under the covers. He began purring the moment he felt the warmth already there from Shikamaru's body heat and scooted closer to get more.

"Purring?" Shikamaru question when he heard it.

"Shh, morning." Lee said, "Sleep now…Shikamaru." He smiled and closed his eyes.

It was silent for a moment then Lee felt arms wrap around him and pull him to Shikamaru's chest. His purring got louder and he heard Shikamaru chuckle. Lee decided to be _nice_ and ignore it, instead, pressing closer to Shikamaru, nuzzling the hollow of Shikamaru's neck where his head fit perfectly. Oh~ he could hear Shikamaru's heartbeat, how pleasant…

Lee fell asleep happy and content.


	15. Chapter 15

When Lee woke up, he felt a solid warmth against his back. He began purring again, his mind delightfully slow like waking from a really good nap in the sun. _Arms_ tightened around him and Lee _felt_ a huff of a chuckle against the back of his neck. His purring cut off and a shiver ran up his spine before he remembered his decision to sleep with Shikamaru last night. Then, his purring came back with a vengeance and it was completely audible.

Shikamaru chuckled again, not even close to minding that he was awake this 'early'. He inhaled slowly, still pleasantly sleepy as he took a chance and pressed his nose against Lee's soft hair; it smelt subtly like honey, like a natural scent and not artificial. For a moment, he wondered if Lee's skin would taste the same and immediately blushed at the direction his thoughts took him.

"S-so…" Shikamaru began, to keep his mind away from that path and to get some answers, "purring?"

Lee blushed softly, "You find that I am reminiscent of a cat, close to the way that Inuzuka's imitate dogs."

"It's a family thing then?" Shikamaru asked

"Not quite." Lee answered, "It might be but I would not know. My original family is dead." His own cat qualities were from Matatabi but maybe there was something to him being chosen to be the Two-Tailed Cat's holder.

Shikamaru didn't say anything, only wrapped his arms a little further around Lee, creating a comfortable feeling of being surrounded by warmth. Lee smiled softly, his affection growing for Shikamaru. He found that he didn't want to leave this, not only the bed but he wanted to wake up like this often. He had his kittens but this was very different and Lee knew that he could easily become addicted to it.

Then Lee sighed, "We should get up, I very much doubt that your parents would approve of me sneaking into your room to sleep."

Shikamaru echoed the sigh but was tempted to keep Lee there anyway. He didn't know how his father would act but he had a hunch that mom would get too much enjoyment from this and that would be embarrassing. The only thing was, was it embarrassing enough to let go?...Not really, he'd rather continue to sleep like this, but dad was an unknown factor so Shikamaru groaned with reluctance and let Lee go. He turned onto his back and closed his eyes.

Lee giggled and turned when he was able. He held himself up and stared at Shikamaru's face. He smiled and gave into his urge, leaning down to kiss Shikamaru's cheek. It might have been the hair tickling Shikamaru's face or the sudden shadows but whatever it was, Shikamaru turned his head. Their lips pressed together instead and Shikamaru's eyes snapped open. Lee stared into Shikamaru's –oh they're _brown_ \- eyes, his own widening in surprise. Lee felt his face suddenly burn red and he shot backwards with a stutter gasp of, "S-sorry!"

Shikamaru's face was similarly red as he sat up, looking away from Lee, "N-no, was my fault." He said, his voice stilted and flustered.

"I-I will just go." Lee said, getting up and quickly leaving the room. He practically ran back to the bedroom he was supposed to be in, Mother laughing in his head. His blush grew and he made himself ignore her as he quickly changed back into his regular clothes. He fixed his hair into its normal tight braid then mentally hissed,

' _ **Mother!**_ '

' **Oh hush, Kitten. I expected that to happen sooner, I just did not expect it to be such a funny accident.** ' The grin was obvious in her tone and Lee covered his still burning face.

' _ **Mother…please, this is…embarrassing. I would have rather seem competent and not like a bumbling fool when I truly kiss someone…**_ '

' **Do not worry Kitten, Shikamaru seemed to really enjoy it~** '

Lee felt his face burn hotter but his heart skipped and he hesitantly asked, ' _ **R-really?**_ '

' **He was as red as you are right now Kitten, I think it is safe to say that, yes, he liked it.** '

Lee smiled shyly to himself then giggled almost deliriously. He held his cheeks as they ached from his growing grin and he span in a happy circle, purring loudly before forcing himself to calm down. He took a deep breath then lightly tapped his cheeks as the warmth finally faded. He set the clothes he'd worn for sleep on the bed and left the room.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Breakfast with the Nara's was surprisingly nice, made even better by Shikamaru sitting next to him. He liked feeling the only slightly elusive warmth coming from the boy and found himself reaching out under the table to touch Shikamaru's hand often. Then, Shikamaru had taken his hand and held it.

It made butterflies erupt in Lee's stomach.

He was pretty sure that Shikaku knew what they were doing though and that made Lee a little worried. He kept waiting for Shikaku to tell him that it was time to leave. Still, the man did nothing and Lee got to continue enjoying the heat of Shikamaru's hand encasing his.

When it was time for him to leave –his own choice as he needed to change into cleaner clothes and distressingly enough, his kittens still weren't back.-, he gave Shikamaru a shy smile and felt his heart skip when the boy gave him a handsome crooked smile back. Lee's cheeks burned softly and he quickly left, running back home to change then he'd go to the Hokage and _ask_ if anything came in the form of a message from Team Seven.

When he was standing in front of the Hokage, he smiled widely, emptily, an act for the ANBU watching.

"Hokage-sama…" Lee said, going into a _low_ bow.

"Lee-kun." Sarutobi said with a still _kind_ smile that somehow made Lee feel like a cat with its fur being brushed backwards.

He just wanted to tell Sarutobi to _stop_. Stop being so _kind_ , stop _faking_. But the most horrible part was that Lee wasn't sure that he was faking. It came without fail and never made his instincts point to wrong. This one, this Hokage…why couldn't Kuma have someone like Sarutobi? Why did they have to choose him to be a vessel- No, he had to stop thinking about it. This wasn't what he came here for.

"Have you received any word from Team Seven?" Lee asked instead

"I'm afraid not, but I would not worry yet." Sarutobi said kindly, slightly smiling.

Lee bristled and subtly frowned, lidded eyes gazing at the Hokage intently, "I did not say I was." He said with a subtle bite but knew it was just a way to –fail to- keep his dignity. Sarutobi's chuckle confirmed it. Lee frowned a little harder then said, "They were meant to be back yesterday."

"I'm sure they just got caught up. Give it another day Lee-kun." He said then leaned forward in interest, "But, I noticed that you are saying the whole of Team Seven... I noticed that you bought a bigger house, I'm surprised."

Lee fought the urge to shift and made himself still, "I simply wanted more space. Was I not allowed?"

"Of course you are, but that indeed is a lot of space. Tell me, how is Naruto-kun? Is he getting along with Sasuke-kun and Sakura-chan."

Lee 'tsked' and looked away for just a moment, knowing that Sarutobi knew exactly what he'd done. Lee held back a sigh, he might as well…"Naruto is fine, he is happier than when I first saw him and it is real. Sasuke-kun seems to be slowly but surely treating the team like a family; he is becoming less of a ticking bomb of self-pity. Sakura is absolutely lovely now that she has settled down and got to work on being a real ninja, she is an asset. All of them have improved immensely and I plan to stay with them."

Lee looked straight at Sarutobi as he said the last part, daring him to try and take his kittens from him.

Sarutobi only smiled with real joy, "I'm glad to hear."

Lee 'hmphed' and said, "I will wait another day, but tomorrow I will be searching for them if they are not here by morning."

"Of course, Lee-kun. I'll speak with you later." Sarutobi nodded his head, correctly guessing that Lee would leave.

Lee bowed lowly and turned on his heel before walking out.

Sarutobi sighed then chuckled with a shake of his head. He made a motion with his hand and an ANBU appeared in front of him.

"Tomorrow morning, have two of yours guard the gate. If Lee-kun does show up, take him to Morino."

The ANBU nodded sharply and left when he was dismissed. Then Sarutobi got a scroll and wrote a note to Morino Ibiki, saying 'It is most likely that you will receive one Rock Lee in your custody tomorrow morning. Keep him entertained until further notice. When he escapes, allow it. That will be the notice. Send a bird to notify me.'

Sarutobi made another motion and another ANBU dropped in front of him with a different mask, "Take this to Morino." He said with some amusement still in his tone then leaned back when that task was completed.

"Lee-kun…" Sarutobi murmured then smiled, "Seems that you are finally settling into Konoha. I am glad…"

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Lee did as he said he would and dutifully waited until the next day. He'd been a tad antsy the previously, and took many cat-naps to calm himself, and when that barely worked, he sought out Shikamaru. He'd found the Nara hair on a small hill, watching the clouds roll by. Lee had went up to him, dropped down and curled up, using Shikamaru's stomach as a pillow as he took a cat-nap in the sunlight.

It was the only thing that calmed him, coupled with the pleasant and purr-inducing sensation of Shikamaru petting him.

Then the next day came and all bets were off.

Team Seven had not shown up.

Lee made his way to the front gates immediately. When he got there he almost scowled as he saw ANBU instead of the regular Chunin. ANBU were faster and had better instincts, they wouldn't be neutralized with a quick hit to the backs of their necks. Lee hissed softly.

"Hokage-sama is not going to allow me to go freely, is he…?" Lee said, holding back his derision with a 'polite' smile.

"We are detaining you as per Hokage-sama's orders, please come quietly." The one with a dog mask said

"Oh? And where exactly will you try to take me?" Lee tilted his head, making his braid thump against his back.

"We will be taking you to T&I, you will be placed in Morino Ibiki's…care." The eagle mask said, sounding like they were frowning.

"Morino Ibiki...hm..." Lee murmured, feeling vaguely interested. He'd heard much about the man and always found himself fascinated, the man was well known in the bingo books too, known for his steel-like will to endure torture and his incredible -the book said terrifying- ability to give back tenfold.

Tch, the Hokage knew he'd be interested. Well, he could bide some more time with that. Lee nodded to the ANBU and said, "Alright. I will leave myself in his care then."

The ANBU shifted and Lee detected hesitancy before the eagle picked him up and began running. Lee blinked in surprise, not expecting to be picked up. He huffed a chuckle and relaxed himself. Before long, he was sitting in a chair in Ibiki's office, wrapped in rope to keep him from running. Lee hummed under his breath, waiting.

A few minutes later, the door opened and Lee could see the man out of the corner of his eye. He could see the man frown and he said,

"When I was informed that I would have a _guest_ , I didn't know that I'd be a glorified _babysitter_." Ibiki said, walking around Lee and sitting at his desk.

"What, I am not your type~?" Lee purred and Ibiki blinked before chuckling.

"A few years too young, kid. Do you even know who I am?" Now Ibiki sounded amused.

"Morino Ibiki, page 195 of the bingo book. Known for his strong will to endure and his stronger retribution. Able to get information out of even the most tight lipped of shinobi." Lee said then _smiled_ , "I am practically a fanboy."

Ibiki leaned forward, placing his elbows on his desk, "Interesting. You're well informed. Do I live up to expectations?"

"You surpass them~" Lee purred and he wasn't even lying. Lee could feel Ibiki's dangerous aura, warning all in the simple words of _Don't fuck with me._

Ibiki chuckled, then leaned back again, "So, I was minding my own business yesterday, finishing up a... _job_ , when the Hokage sends me a note. A mission if you will, telling me that I should expect a _guest_ and that I should keep him _entertained_. Can you tell me why that is...?"

"Maybe because I need to be distracted." Lee said, echoing Ibiki and leaning back in his own seat, "My little ones have not come back yet and I am afraid that that makes me a little... _angry_."

Ibiki snorted with a slight smirk, "You say that like it's important."

"You know," Lee began, smiling with his normally lidded gaze, "I like you, Ibiki-kun, I really do. So, as a favor, I will say this. It is a very bad idea to get me mad."

Ibiki straight up laughed, "Now you have me curious. You're interesting kid." He suddenly stood and stalked towards Lee, looming over him, "Hokage-sama instructed me that _when_ you get free, to just let you go. Now...I'm _really_ curious as to why the Hokage has such faith that you can escape _me_."

Lee licked his lips and grinned, "How intimidating, you have my heart all a flutter _Ibiki-kun_. Will we be putting these ropes to good use then~"

Ibiki's smile went shark-like and he slowly placed his hands on the arm-rests on either side of Lee, "You've got quite the smart mouth for a kid."

"I do not know, I think my mouth is rather perfect." Lee said, leaning back to look straight at Ibiki, "Want to give it a try~?"

This was strangely fun. Flirting with someone like Ibiki. Lee didn't actually mean any of it though he was slightly interested in the man. Still, this was an adult and Lee never really trusted those who were older. Then again, he never really trusted anyone, but Ibiki seemed like the type of man to give the benefit of the doubt. Despite how he acted in the beginning, Lee knew that the man wasn't underestimating him. Well, he was but only for the fact that Ibiki didn't know _what_ he was but other than that, the man was treating him like he was higher than his Genin rank.

Ibiki chuckled. This Lee was a little Hellcat. It made him want to domesticate the boy but he was only told to _entertain_. The order hand rankled him but now even he was being entertained. The boy reminded him of Anko's flirty ways but more concentrated. This Lee didn't seem like he should be, didn't seem like a fourteen year old Genin. Usually Genin's, and even Chunin's went pale and scared in his presence but this one was _enjoying_ it.

Maybe he could get the boy to transfer to the T&I division.

Lee grinned with his sharp teeth and opened his mouth to tease more but paused as he felt a whisper of familiar chakra against his senses.

' _ **Kurama's chakra! It is Naruto!**_ ' Lee mentally gasped, happiness overflowing his words.

"Thank you for keeping me company, Ibiki-kun." Lee said then _smiled_ and immediately dislocated certain bones to slip out of the rope. He got his arms free and subtly sharpened his nails to cut through the rest in a matter of seconds. As a parting gift/shot, Lee pressed a kiss to Ibiki's cheek before shooting out of the office and quickly disappearing into the shadows with no one seeing.

Lee reappeared out of the T&I building, only a few streets away and immediately dashed towards the front gates to meet his precious kittens. He only stopped when he was in front of the large gates and almost jumped in place in excitement but kept himself from showing it.

A few minutes later, Lee felt all their chakra and in was incoming fast. He sighed in relief but then he noticed it coming even faster. Lee subtly frowned in worry and took a few more steps until he was right in front of the open gates. Though he felt worry, his heart felt lighter the moment he spied the orange, red, and blue of their clothes.

He raised his arms and waved at them happily.

Then he was almost tackled to the ground by Naruto and Sakura. It was only the brief warning Mother gave him that he was able to brace himself. He let out a harsh breath but then felt them shaking and quickly wrapped his arms around them. He looked for Sasuke and saw him just standing there, hesitant.

Lee reached out with one arm and Sasuke took a few quick steps and he was immediately pulled into the hug as well. He didn't cling like the other two but he pressed against Lee hard and his body was subtly shaking as well, like everything that happened finally just crashed onto him.

Lee hugged them all tightly and he whispered -loving- words, "My kittens, my precious one's. I have missed you so much. You had me so worried. Come, let us go home, I will make you all your favorites, yes?"

They all nodded but didn't move just yet. Lee lifted his head and looked at Kakashi in question. The man looked away and rubbed the back of his head with a sigh. It was then that Lee noticed that Kakashi looked a little roughed up, just like his kittens.

Lee frowned and he motioned Kakashi to follow him before looking down at his team and softly urging them to walk. He took them all to his home -Kakashi included- and when they got there, he settled them into the kitchen with him. He softly kissed Naruto's head, Sakura's forehead, and Sasuke's cheek before starting to cook their favorites -even Kakashi's whom he got to sit there as well-.

"...We should be going to report." Kakashi said but he didn't sound like he was pushing.

"Tomorrow. You are known for being late, Kakashi, what is another day." Lee said and Kakashi seemed to sigh but not in irritation. Instead, he leaned back in his seat and closed his eye.

Lee smiled and continued cooking. Soon, he finished and he placed all their favorites in front of the one they belonged to. They all ate and Lee herded them all to the living room and they used the T.V. that only got use when the boys were home. Sakura sat to Lee's left and Sasuke to Lee's right while Naruto sat on the ground between Lee's legs. Naruto rested his head on Lee's leg, feeling grounded by the sensation brought by having Lee's legs press against his shoulders. Sakura and Sasuke leaned against Lee's sides when Lee lifted his arms and pulled them into side hugs.

It was a few hours before all three of them finally began speaking of what happened. The television was still on but the volume low as Sakura spoke of how they had met someone -Zabuza, a man he met when he was Ikiryou. He knew he should have killed the man...-on the way to Tazuna's home. Naruto talking about how they had to fight in the end, and everything just seemed to go wrong. Sasuke admitted to almost dying -but Lee knew that it wasn't an almost, it felt like he had died and oh, his poor little wolf.-.

He got the entire story from all three of them, down to the last piece, even how they buried Haku and Zabuza and how the bridge was name after them, a name they chose themselves because it didn't seem fair to have it for just one person.

The Great Guardian Bridge, named for the way that they will protect those that are most important to then, no matter what happens or how much blood is spilled.

Lee told them that he was so very proud of them. It seemed to make them feel a bit better and they all fell asleep against him. Lee stayed like that just a few minutes longer before the silence was broken.

"You're surprisingly good with them..." Kakashi whispered as he stared at Lee.

"Am I...?" Lee murmured, "I do not feel like I am." not _good_ , more like, he is simply treating them the way he needs to get them addicted to his presence.

"You were what they talked about the most while we were in Mist." Kakashi said, "You've taught them a lot too. the knowledge saved them a few times..." he sounded strangely guilty and Lee turned his gaze to him.

"You tried." Lee said, "From what they said, you tried hard to protect them...but you are not what you used to be."

Lee could see Kakashi frown under his mask and Lee slowly stood, twisting his body so he could get free without waking the three. He went to Kakashi and leaned down as the man was still sitting. Kakashi lifted his head and stared at him with surprisingly tired eyes. Lee stared for a moment longer before lifting his hands and cupping Kakashi's masked face.

" _Thank you, Kakashi._ " Lee whispered, his tone _meaningful_. He leaned down and pressed his lips against the fabric covering Kakashi's lips in sincere thanks. He felt Kakashi's breath hitch but the man didn't move. Lee held the kiss for a moment longer then pulled away with a soft smile.

"You can stay here tonight." Lee said, "There is a room for you."

Kakashi opened his eye and stared at Lee. Then, his eye slowly crinkled with a smile and he nodded. Lee smiled back then turned to the kids.

"Now help me get them to my room, I want them to wake up safe in the morning."

Kakashi chuckled quietly and he got up, "You're like a mother." he said as he did as Lee asked and picked Naruto and Sasuke up.

Lee blushed softly in happiness at the comment and he smiled again, "...I want to be." he confessed quietly, "It is a dream of mine..."

"...It's a nice dream." Kakashi said, sounding like he really did think so.

Lee looked away and gently picked Sakura up. He lead them to his room and told Kakashi to set them down on either side of the bed. When he did, Lee undressed them all enough to be comfortable but not indecent then he picked Sakura up again. He turned to Kakashi and smiled at him once more before whispering "Goodnight..."

"Goodnight..." Kakashi echoed then slowly left to where he would sleep.

Lee carefully got into the middle of the bed with Sakura laying comfortably on top of him. The moment he settled, Sasuke and Naruto latched onto him in their sleep, just like how Sakura was doing. Lee sighed in content and held them all.

His little ones, they were finally where they belonged.


	16. Chapter 16

When morning came, Lee cooked their favorites once again while they all showered in different rooms. Kakashi kept him company in the kitchen and was even joking with him. It made Lee feel... _warm_. This was what he wanted, the ones he cared for, with him. He only needed Shikamaru here and it was be so perfect, maybe...maybe even Gaara too. He definitely needed his Angel there with him, that was something that would always be fact. Though, the thing that surprised him was that Kakashi reached that point, the point where Lee kind of...cared for him.

It was vaguely scary yet he liked it at the same time.

When Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke came downstairs just in time for breakfast, everything became so lively. Like the night before had finally banished the shadows of their mission, all three of them were joking and laughing.

Lee purred audibly.

It made Naruto laugh and Sakura giggle. Sasuke huffed a chuckle and Kakashi outright chuckled at him.

It didn't matter though, Lee was _happy_.

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A few days passed before Lee found himself with his own team again. Gai was exclaiming that they had shown enough youth that he decided to enter them into the Chunin Exams.

Lee hummed in thought and wondered if Kakashi was going to do the same. He might…and if his Kittens were that he would enter as well. He wanted to be there to make sure no one tried to kill them.

"Lee." Neji's voice broke him out of his thoughts and Lee blinked, looking around to see that Gai had left.

Lee hummed again then turned his attention onto the boy.

Even since Neji's 'confession' -if he could really call it that because it was more like a demand for Lee to surrender to fate-, the boy had wasted no time every morning training session to try and defeat him and make him 'see'. Lee didn't let him win.

"When I become Chunin…" Neji paused and his face scrunched slightly in irritation, "You will stop closing your eyes to destiny."

Lee sighed and pushed off the tree he was leaning against. He stepped right up to Neji and touched his cheek in a mock act of tenderness, "I have my eyes open, Neji. Destiny is not something I follow."

"But it is fate-"

"Fate is something I create for myself! Once you figure that out, I will give you a chance." Lee cut Neji off then gave the Hyuuga a soft smile, "I do like you Neji…so when you realize what is wrong, find me."

Lee slowly tilted his head in thought then pressed his lips against Neji's cheek. He felt the skin under his lips warm and smiled. He pulled back and saw that Neji really was blushing from such a small thing. How cute~

Lee then moved away and Neji did nothing to stop him. He looked at the frustration that Neji couldn't hide and he giggled with no hint of guilt.

It made him want to tease the boy, and well…he was never good at holding back.

Lee leaned forward again, cupping Neji's face with both of his hands. He leaned close enough for his breath to rushed across Neji's lips and he heard the Hyuuga's breath hitch. Lee felt his lips curve into a grin and he spoke,

"I hope you do not disappoint me~" He purred, then he began to pull away.

Hands gripped his hips and Neji yanked Lee hard against him. Lee hand only a moment to realize what was happening when lips crashed against his own. Lee made a noise of surprise then had to grip onto Neji so he wouldn't fall as the boy practically lifted him off the ground.

Lee felt his face burn as the kiss turned intimate. Neji's lips moved against his own, stealing his breath away and Lee knew that this was going too far already. He dug his hand into Neji's hair and yanked his head while pulling his own away.

Lee hissed at Neji, eyes flashing as he continued to hold Neji's head back

"You take too many liberties." Lee said, his voice taking on sensual but angry tone.

"You...tease, all the time!" Neji's hands squeezed his hips where they still held on and the boys' cheeks were red but he kept his voice steady, "Do you have...any idea, how it feels!?"

Lee tightened his grip in Neji's hair and ducked his head down until he was right next to Neji's ear, "You will not touch me in such a way again unless _I_ give you permission. Disobey me and I will _punish_ you like a naughty _dog_."

Neji's breath hitched and Lee could hear him swallow. Lee grinned and licked a long line up Neji's neck, his grin growing as he heard Neji try to muffle a groan then Lee pushed off of him. He landed a few feet away then stood up straight and turned on his heel. He wanted to truly _tease_ Neji and just leave him _frustrated_ as revenge but, he had more important things to do.

He needed to find his kittens.

And take his mind off stolen kisses.

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Lee walked with more of a sway to his hips than normal. His expression slightly tense as his lidded eyes darted side to side, searching for _his_ Genin. He huffed out a slight breath and absently tugged his hair out of his braid with slightly jerky movements. He let his hair out and pulled the wavy tresses into a high ponytail.

Then he saw his kittens just as they saw him. Something relaxed inside of Lee and he began to smile as the three hurried to him.

"Kittens." Lee said in greeting before kissing each one of them in their respective places. Naruto on his head, Sakura on the forehead, and Sasuke on his cheek.

"Kaa-chan!/Lee!." They said in different tones but all happy though Sasuke's was subtle.

Then Sakura told him what happened just a few minutes before and Lee's eyes widened as they said they met Suna-nins. One of them being named _Gaara_.

"Stay away from him." Lee blurted out and slightly frowned as they looked at him confused.

"Do you know who he is, Kaa-chan?" Naruto asked.

"...Yes, I have met him before." Lee answered, "I am sure you felt it...he feels... _different_ correct?"

"...He feels like Zabuza." Sasuke admitted, "but...worse."

Lee nodded, "That one is Subaku no Gaara. He is the youngest son of the Kazekage and...he is _extremely_ dangerous. Just...do not approach him again without me with you, okay?"

Slowly, each of them nodded and Lee smiled in relief. He motioned them to walk and lead them to the markets, telling them that they had to help him with the shopping as they were running low on food.

It was actually fun, seeing Sasuke just outright buy things while Sakura haggled. They all boycotted the stalls that refused to sell to Naruto and the ones that tried to overprice, Lee glared them into submission. His killing intent slipping out and only affecting the stall owner.

Naruto had the biggest smile when they refused certain people and didn't put up with that shit. His smile got even wider when one pissed Sakura off enough that she yelled at the man before grabbing Naruto's hand and stomping away in anger, mumbling that she'd commit murder if she stayed any longer.

Lee sighed in approval. Sakura would make a lovely wife for Naruto~

Then Sasuke subtly knock against the stall, breaking part of it and making everything fall.

Lee definitely approved and took Sasuke arm as they walked, sneakily kissing his cheek and whispering "Good job." as he did so. Sasuke huffed slightly but there was a small smirk on his lips.

Lee watched Sakura teach the fine points of haggling to the boys by demonstration again when he felt eyes on his person. He kept his smile on his face though his eyes went cold at the feeling. He slowly looked around without turning his head then subtly sent out his chakra senses when he didn't see anyone.

His chakra touched upon someone familiar and his smile became a little dangerous as he turned his head and locked eyes with _Gaara_. Those green eyes were staring at him intently and Lee chuckled, his body slipping into a confident and slightly sensual stance.

"Found me~" Lee mouthed quietly, _grinning_. He blew Gaara a kiss and with his enhanced eyes, he could see Gaara shift forward and his entire aura seemed to _darken_ , but not in a murderous way. Lee giggled and licked his lips before turning his attention back onto his kittens when the three came back.

"Well, that seems to be enough for now. Let us go back home." Lee said.

They nodded as each one of them were carrying bags and they all hurried _home_ , even Sakura which made Lee _purr_. Lee unlocked the front door and ushered them in before looking towards where he still felt Gaara. He waved in Gaara's direction before heading inside, closing the door to those eyes.

Lee was vaguely surprised to see Kakashi in the living room, watching T.V. as if he was waiting. Then, Lee walked over and kissed Kakashi's cheek as if it was normal and said, "We are back."

Kakashi chuckled almost...shyly, if the man could actually be shy and said, "Welcome back."

Lee smiled happily before turning to the tree Genin and he said, "Alright, you three, go clean-up for dinner." then he turned back to Kakashi, "You will help me put away the food."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke quickly put their bags in the kitchen before rushing upstairs to shower in their rooms. Kakashi chuckled again and his eye crinkled with a smile as he said, "Yes, ma'am."

Lee blushed and hit Kakashi's arm, "Shush you, or I will withhold dinner."

"I'm sorry I ever wronged you, oh merciful one." Kakashi said in a quick tone and he grinned under his mask when he heard Lee giggle.

"Come on Kashi." Lee said, walking into the kitchen, "Be a good boy and keep me company while I cook."

"How domestic." Kakashi said even as he did as Lee asked. He put away the newly bought food in its correct places, leaving out what Lee planned to use that night.

"You like it~" Lee sang teasingly and when he didn't hear a reply, he looked at Kakashi. He blinked and felt his cheeks become warm as Kakashi looked at him almost... _tenderly_.

"Maybe." Was all the Jonin said and Lee couldn't bring himself to continue the tease.

The groceries were put away and the boys plus Sakura came back down just as Lee finished cooking. They ate like a _family_ again, or, Lee thought they did. It was as close to a family that Lee could get and really, it felt close to perfect.

Then Kakashi announced that he had approved them for taking the Chunin exams and that they should think it over as they slept.

"So, the Chunin Exams really are happening?" Sakura asked.

"Yes." Lee answered, "My team is entering as well, so I will be with you three. But know this, little ones, the Chunin exams will be like your A-class mission to Mist. There will more than likely be death and you can never let your guard down" Lee slightly chuckled and glanced to Kakashi before saying, "It is the most prudent time for you to 'look underneath the underneath'."

Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke's faces were serious as they listened to Lee and they nodded when he was done.

"We'll do it." Naruto said and the other two nodded.

"We won't be left behind by you" Sasuke said with a determined smirk.

"Plus, we don't abandon family, right?" Sakura said with a slightly cheeky smile and bright eyes.

Lee smiled and laughed softly, "Correct. You will protect each other during this and as long as you can do that, you will prevail."

"Maa, kids grow up so fast these days." Kakashi pretended to wipe away a tear and Naruto shouted in mock anger before laughing.

They quickly turned the serious conversation into something light and soon they were finished eating.

After dinner, Lee lead them to bed as he did every night -it would be the middle of the night when they would sneak into his bed- and kissed them all on their forehead's, even Sasuke though he would usually say he didn't need it. That never stopped him from releasing a happy sigh after though. Lee even met Kakashi and lead him to the room he had claimed a few nights ago.

He whispered a soft goodnight to Kakashi then went to his own room just as he got a too fond reply. It made Lee's cheeks feel warm again but he pushed it away. He stepped into his bedroom and stripped off his clothing, setting his accessories off to the side before putting his clothes into the dirty basket. He took his hair out of its high ponytail then selected an oversized t-shirt to sleep in.

He felt eyes on him the moment he slipped the fabric over his body and he chuckled softly. The sound of sand hissed into his room and Lee slowly turned to see _Gaara_.

"Hello again Gaara~" Lee said, leaning against his wall.

Suddenly, Gaara was in front of him in a position similar to how they were last time. Gaara's hands pressed against the wall, trapping Lee between deceptively strong arms.

" _You_..." Gaara said, his voice deeper than normal and his eyes were _dark_ as they locked on Lee. The intense green color slowly roamed Lee's body before going back up to Lee's eyes.

Lee felt a shiver run up his spine and he stifled a gasp. Instead, he smiled and automatically took on a purring tone as he said, "Yes, me~"

Lee shifted and he heard the sand thrash in Gaara's gourd as if in warning. He chuckled and lifted a hand to Gaara's face. The sand seemed to hit the walls of the gourd _hard_ before suddenly stilling and Gaara's breathing was slightly ragged to Lee's ears. Lee lightly stroked Gaara's face and cold fire burned in his eyes.

"You still freeze but you have… _those people_." Gaara suddenly said, and Lee knew to whom he was referring.

"What can I say~" Lee said flippantly but he smiled as his eyes sent a dark warning; then Gaara began _grinning_ , something too wide and inside. Lee continued, saying "I consider them mine."

"I like that look in your eyes." Gaara said and sand began thrashing in his gourd again.

"Are you not just too cute~" Lee chuckled and he slowly shifted his arms so he was wrapping them around Gaara's shoulders, "You will absolutely love me if you touch them." He whispered into Gaara's ear before suddenly nipping it. He might have been acting playful but his words were still a warning.

A growl rose within Gaara's throat and Lee felt hands grip his ribs _tightly_ , " _What is this_." Gaara demanded Lee to answer without actually saying.

"I still do not know what you mean Gaara~" Lee said, brushing his cheek against Gaara's.

"Hot, it's burning in my veins. I want for _something_. What are you making me _want_!" Gaara growled and tightened his grip. He wanted Lee closer; he wanted Lee pressed against him like before but _more_. What did he want more of though? This confusion was irritating and made him angry.

Lee hid his frown and sent a question to mother as to what Gaara was talking about. His cheeks warmed as she answered,

' **He wants to mate with you, Kitten.** ' Before slipping back into the far back of Lee's mind so she wasn't intruding.

"M-mate?" Lee repeated with a hitch in his breath. Then he heard a deep growl from Gaara and his back hit the wall hard. Lee gasped, more in surprise than in pain and he looked at Gaara who was looking at his with insane eyes.

" **Mate…** " Gaara said and his voice was too deep to be normal, it held the inhuman quality of a demon, " **Mine!** "

Lee shivered hard, his heart skipping to a rapid pace immediately. Mate, Gaara wanted him as a _Mate_. There was something incredibly appealing about how rough and demanded Gaara seemed. He'd be a wonderful fighter mate, the one to protect their home and keep them safe. The thought of that made his breath quicken as well and he slid his hands to Gaara's chest, lightly gripping the fabric there. Gaara was coming _closer_ , his mouth opening to show sharp _teeth_. He opened his mouth but then his bedroom door was opening and Lee felt himself tense.

Their eyes snapped towards the door and _Sakura_ was there. She looked up and her sleepy expression vanished as she took in the sight before her. She wasted no time and _screamed_ , knowing that she wouldn't be able to help on her own. Sand blasted towards her and Lee hissed furiously. He dashed and tackled her out of the way before crouching over her, practically snarling at Gaara.

Naruto, Sasuke and Kakashi ran into the room, only in their sleepwear but holding weapons. Naruto and Sasuke's eyes widened as they saw Gaara and Sasuke threw a shuriken at him. Sand protected Gaara immediately but the red head wasn't even looking at them. Instead, he was staring at Lee with a deranged look.

"That look in your eyes…" Gaara scowled and sand floated around him from his gourd.

"I warned you _Gaara_." Lee hissed, "Do not touch those who are **mine**."

"Ah, Suna-san." Kakashi said in a polite tone though he was staring at Gaara with narrowed eyes, "The Chunin Exams have not started yet, attacking Konoha residents is justification for removal."

Gaara slowly turned his eyes to Kakashi then his expression smoothed into nothing. There was hate in his eyes until he looked back at Lee and there was only possessiveness as he said, "You won't escape from me next time."

Then he was gone in a whirlwind of sand.


	17. Chapter 17

All of Team Seven spent the rest of the night in Lee's room to 'keep him safe', the Genin on the bed with him and Kakashi took the floor with a blanket and a pillow that Lee got for him. When morning came, Lee slipped out of bed, leaving Sakura in the middle without waking any of them. He knelt beside Kakashi and gave the man a half smile when he opened his eyes.

"I'm guessing you want to talk about last night?" Kakashi said, his gaze serious despite just waking up. He sat up and pressed his back against the wall, one leg on the ground and the other angled with his foot on the ground.

"I know you have questions. In exchange for answers, I ask that you do not report what had happened." Lee said.

Kakashi's gaze sharpened and he stared at Lee for a long moment before sighing then rubbing the back of his head. He gave a short nod then asked,

"Do you know that boy?"

Lee nodded, "His name is Gaara. He is the youngest son of the Kazekage."

"What was he doing here?"

"He found me, we had a running…thing, where we would see each other on coincidence while I was out on missions. I never told him where I was from. I guess he got a little…excited."

"And attacking Sakura?"

"She…interrupted, he was most likely angry at that." Lee ran a hand over his face then sighed, "Kakashi, he is…like me and Naruto."

Kakashi went silent, his eye going wide.

"I tell you this in confidence. I…trust you not to tell anyone else." Lee said, biting the inside of his cheek. He didn't like this vulnerable feeling of having to place his trust in someone else.

Kakashi stared then scrubbed his hand through his hair with a sigh, "How do you get yourself into these things…"

"My overwhelming charm and wit." Lee said then giggled when Kakashi shot him an unamused look. Kakashi then chuckled as well and leaned his head against the wall.

"Alright. My lips are sealed…but, if this happens again, tell me. That boy has the scent of blood, I don't…I don't want you being added to that." Kakashi mumbled and Lee smiled softly at the man.

Lee leaned forward and kissed Kakashi's cheek, "Thank you Kakashi. You are…wonderful."

"Heh, careful, my old heart might give out." Kakashi joked though his eye crinkled happily.

"You are not that old." Lee said, smiling warmly at him before standing up, "I will leave you to wake the kids. I will make breakfast."

Kakashi stared as Lee walked away then pressed his hand against his mouth. He could feel the warmth on his cheeks even through his mask. This…this was getting dangerous; his heart shouldn't have skipped like that.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The morning passed and Lee had to go with his own Genin team when going into the Exam building. He'd said good-bye to _his_ Genin team with soft kisses then met up with Team Gai. When with them, he suggested that they lay low and not give away how strong they really were. Tenten and Neji agreed with the plan and they were easily able to bypass the first Genjutsu on the first floor that hid the stairs. It was easy to spot the second which made it feel like the second floor was the third and Lee shook his head when Tenten suggested that they thin out the crowd.

It was better to use those who were incompetent as fodder for later; though he didn't say as much. Instead, he said that it would help them hide better in the end.

They were about to leave when Lee felt _his_ Genin come up the stairs. He turned and smiled as he saw Sakura's pink hair first then Naruto's yellow coming up right beside hers. Sasuke's black was only a step away as well.

"Lee?" Tenten called quietly and Lee held up a hand for her to wait.

As if just knowing, the three across the room looked towards him and Lee grinned. He put his finger against his lips in a 'shushing' motion then beckoned them to him. He felt Tenten and Neji step up beside him but kept his eyes on Team Seven. When they stopped in front of him, Lee giggled and touched each one on their temple.

"Do you see any problem with this floor?" Lee asked even as Tenten gave him a confused look from behind his back.

"Yeah." Sasuke said just as Sakura quietly chirped, "Of course!"

Naruto looked around quickly and squinted his eyes, trying to see what was wrong. Then he crossed his arms, thinking about it had as they looked at him. Suddenly, his eyes opened in surprise as he said, "Oh! I think I got it!"

"What is the answer then?" Lee asked, leaning close so they could keep with not allowing others to hear.

"We're on the second right, Kaa-chan?" Naruto asked, "I mean, we only went up one set of stairs…"

The smile that Lee gave him made Naruto light up. He chuckled and put his arms behind his head to try and control his giddiness. Which he failed when Sakura nodded and told him "Good job!"

He practically began giggling and Sakura grinned.

Sasuke rolled his eyes but he was smirking.

"Lee, you know these rookies?" Neji's voice interrupted and Lee looked at him. He stood close to Lee, right at his side and his pearl colored eyes looked upon the three before settling back on Lee with a frown.

Lee sighed and briefly brushed his hand against Sasuke's neck in comfort before looking at Neji once more, "Yes I do. I consider them important."

Neji's eyes widened slightly then he subtly glared at the three while Tenten's expression showed surprise.

"He even called you Kaa-chan, who are you and what have you done with our Lee?" Tenten said, looking at Lee as if trying to look through a Genjutsu, "I thought you'd been acting differently but this takes the cake!"

The Genin of Team Seven looked at Lee's teammates oddly and Naruto was the one to ask, "What do you mean?"

Tenten turned her eyes onto Naruto then grinned, "You see, Lee's never cared for anything for the entire time I've known him. He's a big tease and scary as hell on the field but when it came to the personal stuff, he was always saying that he had 'nothing of importance'." Tenten air quoted, trying to replicate Lee's whimsical voice.

Lee slowly felt his cheeks warm up and he said, "Alright! I think that is enough, why do we not just go to the real waiting room."

Tenten snickered and Neji stayed quiet, silently frowning at Team Seven. Still, all six of them went on their way and signed in before entering the double doors that showed the real waiting rooms. When he stepped through the doors, he tensed up completely.

His senses were screaming at him. There were hostiles in the crowd, people that wanted to kill, murder... It made his skin prickle and his spine tingle. Some were so dark that Lee could feel his claws trying to form, could feel his eyes trying to changed, and his skin warmed in a way that told him he was going to ignite but he forced it back.

"Lee?" Neji noticed Lee not moving with them and looked at the Taijutsu user.

Lee slowly let his eyes lock with Neji's as the others stopped and he whispered, "Do you feel that~" he began to purr, "There are so many potentials here~"

"Oh great…" Tenten sighed, putting her hands on her hips, "Come on Lee, save it for the fights."

"Of course Ten-chan~ I am just…basking in the blood-lust~" Lee giggled

"Kaa-chan?" Naruto spoke up then Sakura continued his line of thought, "Do we have the same rules here?"

Sasuke stood up straighter and looked at Lee, waiting.

"Yes." Lee said, his voice almost short, then he put his hands on Sasuke and Naruto's shoulders while Sakura stood in the middle, "But this will be worse Kittens. Here you will think that you are safe but you are not. Trust no one but your family."

All three firmly nodded and Lee _smiled_ , "That is my kittens~ you make me proud~"

' **Kitten, he is staring at you.** '

' _ **Which one?**_ '

' **Ha! True, in all, our Nara, your teammate, and Shukaku are staring. Shukaku is the one I am talking about.** '

' _ **Too bad, I am still a little mad.**_ ' Lee mentally pouted

"Sasuke-kun!" Ino's voice suddenly came and she was hugging onto Sasuke from behind.

Sasuke's expression subtly blanched and he looked at Sakura and Lee for help. Sakura slightly snickered but then said, "Aw pig, I don't get a hug in greeting?"

Ino looked surprised for a moment and she stared intently at Sakura. When she saw that Sakura wasn't actually being mean, Ino got a slightly shy yet happy grin and actually let go of Sasuke.

"Pah, I could never overlook that huge forehead of yours. You just had to wait your turn." Ino said but hurried to hug Sakura tightly.

Lee began purring quietly.

"You guys are here too, man, everyone's here for this stupid thing." A new voice came and Lee perked up visibly then blushed when he heard the person chuckle. Lee turned and he was slightly pouting but it quickly turned into a happy smile as he saw Shikamaru grinning at him.

' **Our** dear **teammate looks like he is trying to burn holes into our Nara.** '

' _ **Then he will be disappointed if he truly wishes to be with me. If I have the choice, I will always have my Angel. Anyone else will be second.**_ ' Lee thought back but in truth, he would love them all if able. His Angel just had a very special place in his heart.

The first to accept him. The first to treat him kindly. The first to care for him… His first kiss.

His Angel was everything to him.

"Lee." Shikamaru said in greeting, his voice seeming to caress the letters in his name, or maybe that was just him? But what was fact was that Shikamaru walked to his side, taking his hands out of his pockets and stood close enough for their hands to brush.

"Hello Shikamaru…" Lee said softly and he shyly trailed a fingertip over the back of the Shadow Users hand. Then Shikamaru turned his hand and took Lee's within it.

"I haven't seen you around" and if Shikamaru didn't sound slightly put out by that then Lee's heart didn't skip.

"S-sorry." Lee said, shifting slightly, "My kittens needed me. The mission…it was not the best."

"Kittens…?" Shikamaru repeated then his mind clicked the pieces together like a puzzle and he looked at Team Seven, "Ah…them?"

"Yes." Lee blushed softly again and Shikamaru hummed.

"Not too troublesome." He said and Lee's heart skipped once more.

Lee giggled and stepped closer to Shikamaru so their shoulders were brushing together.

"Hey, you guys!" A new voice suddenly came, breaking the little world Shikamaru and Lee made together. Lee tensed as he realized what he was feeling. A dark aura, subtle, almost hidden, but it was there. Lee gripped Shikamaru's hand tighter and stared at the new man with silver hair.

"You might want to try keeping it down a little. I mean, no offense, but you're the nine rookies, right? Fresh out of the academy...I wouldn't go making a spectacle out of yourselves. Just cool it, this isn't a class field trip." The man continued.

"Well who asked you!? Who are you?!" Ino said, pissed.

"I'm Yakushi Kabuto, but really, look around you." Kabuto said, slightly smiling. "You've made quite an impression."

Lee didn't bother looking. He could feel the eyes on them already, dark and hungry for violence. Lee kept his slowly narrowing gaze on 'Kabuto' then felt Shikamaru squeeze his hand and step slightly in front of him.

Lee blinked, surprise slightly overtaking his hostile feelings as he glanced at Shikamaru who was looking at Kabuto as well. He looked laid back and still careless but this close, Lee could feel his suspicion. Lee held back a grin and went back to staring.

Kabuto began talking about chakra cards and the reason for the Exams but Lee caught Sakura's eye. She looked slightly worried as her gaze fluttered between Kabuto and Lee. Finally, she stepped beside Naruto who was closer to the man and tugged on the back of his jacket. Naruto's expression didn't change but knowing him so well, Lee could see that there was a certain tenseness to him now.

"Ah! I'm hungry!" Naruto suddenly said, interrupting Sasuke just as he began to speak to Kabuto.

"I know right, man, I wish I brought more chips." Chouji agreed eagerly.

Sasuke paused and shrugged carelessly, "We're not having ramen for dinner." He said, moving closer to his team.

"Hey! I haven't had ramen in forever!"

"Two days, Naruto." Sakura said, slightly laughing.

"Yeah! I'm gonna waste away!"

"I take offense to that." Lee said as he stepped up to his team of Genin. He subtly blocked Kabuto's sight of Sasuke after Mother told him that she didn't like the look in the mans' eyes.

"Ah! No, I love your food; don't take that away from meeee!" Naruto immediately started 'begging' and Lee laughed.

"Do not worry, I will make all of your favorites again after you pass the first test."

"Woo!" Naruto cheered as Sakura grinned and Sasuke shook his head in exasperation.

"Hey, you never invite us over!" Ino said and Lee had to smile.

"You may come as well, Ino-chan. You and your team if they wish."

"What about us! We've never even seen your place!" Tenten said and Lee felt a little overwhelmed.

"…How about I just invite everyone then?" Lee asked, hoping that he wouldn't regret the decision.

' **I think this is going to be a very interesting day Kitten.** '

'… _ **Save me**_ ' Lee held back a sigh as they agreed

Even Team Eight got invited.

Dear Kami…his house was going to be a mess…

Then an explosion of smoke erupted and their first Exam instructor appeared.

Huh, it was Ibiki-kun.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

…How did he get in this position?

And by this position, Lee meant sitting next to Gaara. Gaara who was staring at him while they were waiting and looking as if he'd like nothing more than to grab him and take him into a secluded corner and kill him.

' **or do something very naughty.** '

' _ **Mooootheeeer!**_ ' Lee covered his face, blushing softly, ' _ **I do not need to be thinking of such things while I am sitting next to him!**_ '

Matatabi only laughed an Lee sighed. He glanced at Gaara and their eyes locked before Lee had to quickly look away, his cheeks warming further.

"Are you scared now…" Gaara's voice was surprisingly close and it sounded angry.

"Not even close." Lee answered automatically. He finally turned his head back to Gaara and vaguely noticed that their faces were extremely close. He felt Gaara's breath on his face and slowly blinked, "You do not scare me Gaara, you never could."

Sand rustled in Gaara's gourd and the red heads expression began to twist.

"I am only a little mad." Lee continued, "You tried to hurt my kitten. Even after I gave you a warning, and Gaara…" Lee reached out and touched Gaara's cheek lightly. His voice was deceptively calm as he said, "I do _not_ approve."

There was a dangerous look in his eyes, one that was parallel to the insanity in Gaara's, "You are a contender to be my mate-" Gaara's pupils shrunk as Lee said that word 'mate', "but I am a cat that wants a large family to call my own. I want you to be in it as I am beginning to care for you. You make me feel…different, I might even be able to feel love with you."

"What is _love_? Something worthless, pathetic, and only useful when you only love yourself." Gaara hissed, but he didn't move away, instead, he moved closer, "Do you _love_?"

"Oh, but what is love?" Lee closed his eyes for a moment in thought then he slowly tilted his head, staring straight at Gaara, "If love is a need to see that person happy…a want, to be the reason for that happiness…then yes, I _love_ and am in _love_."

Gaara seemed to freeze. He wasn't even breathing anymore, he just stared but then he began _growling_. He gripped Lee's wrist tightly and said one word, " **Mine.** "


	18. Chapter 18

The first exam passed with no one from the rookie nine failing. Though many did walk out when Ibiki said that if they failed then they would forever stay Genin.

Then a woman name Anko crashed in and lead them all to where their second exam would be, 'The Forest of Death'. They were to come back bright and early in the morning for the exam and with that, she left and Lee found himself surrounded by the 'Konoha 12' a name Kiba had coined as their title earlier.

Then he was leading all of them to his home.

He really hoped he had enough room…

Thankfully he did.

Lee was in the kitchen with the girls and only a few boys as the rest were in the living room. The T.V. was on, loud enough that they could hear it from the kitchen. Lee looked and was happy to see Sakura and Ino giggling as they made desserts for later. He then looked towards Tenten and was amused to see that she had pulled Hinata into a conversation about the Gentle Fist Style and weapons.

It seemed that the only one helping him with the actual cooking was Chouji. That boy still reminded him of a Chipmunk.

Lee giggled quietly as he stirred the softening vegetables in with his personal curry mix. Then, he squeaked for the first time –that he could remember- in his life as he heard Shikamaru's voice in his ear. Lee blushed hotly as Shikamaru chuckled and sent the Nara Heir a look that he would later deny being a pout. Shikamaru rested his head on Lee's shoulder and watched him cook, quietly asking where he learned.

It felt strangely intimate as Lee gave away small bits of his past in their quiet conversation with Shikamaru's body heat warming his back and sides.

He learned to cook on his own through trial and error. He liked curry, medium spice really and he had a special place in his heart for any type of fish. Shikamaru knew he liked to take naps in the sun, why was he asking about hobbies? Alright, he also liked cooking a lot, do not laugh. There was something about cooking for others, seeing them like what he made…it made him happy.

But in return for those little bits of himself, Shikamaru shared his own. His favorite food was mackerel, preferably cooked with miso and he hated hard boiled eggs. His hobbies were taking naps, cloud watching, and playing Shoji. Then Shikamaru had told him that there was this place in the Nara Forest that he thought Lee would like and that he'll have to come over again after the exams so he could see.

Lee's cheeks never cooled from the warmth that made his skin glow pink.

Finally, Chouji announced that the food was done and Lee quickly finished off the large portions of food that he'd been cooking. All the boys helped in getting the food onto the large dining table that came with the place –they never used it, opting to use the much smaller one in the kitchen that fit five at most instead of the twenty that the dining room seemed capable of.-, though they had to pull it apart so there wasn't so much empty space. Chouji was ready and willing to smack any hand that dared to try and take some food before all of it was out and Lee just might have cooed at how cute the boy was.

It was a bit of a mess when they all sat down but Lee was happy by the end result. Shikamaru was on his left while Naruto was on his right. Sakura was on the other side of Naruto then Sasuke, and Ino. Next to Shikamaru sat Chouji then Neji, Tenten, Hinata, Shino, then Kiba who had Ino on his other side so it completed the spread circle. It was loud and all together just…happy. Lee couldn't even think of the last time he'd been around something so loud –including the first joint meal between Team Ten and Team Seven-.

In the end, all Lee could do was smile.

Even at the teasing Naruto got when he called Lee 'Kaa-chan', because his Kittens stuck together and Sakura said that Lee was Kaa-chan because he was Kaa-chan to them. Lee cooed softly and Told Sakura to just consider him a Mother-in-law then. It took her a few seconds but then her entire face went red as her eyes snapped to Naruto and she squeaked Lee's name, trying to hit him from the other side of Naruto.

Still, everyone had fun and the bonds that had been made during their school years seemed to grow stronger.

When it was time to leave, Lee personally bid each one goodbye. Even Akamaru whom somehow made him soften despite being a doggy. He was a cute doggy and he was happy to give him scratches. He gave Hinata a hug along with Shino –who startled before slowly hugging back. He didn't seem to want to let go at first…another to adopt.- and Kiba. He gave Tenten and Neji quick cheek kisses, saying that he would meet them early at the second exam. Then he happily kissed Ino and Chouji on the cheek and shyly did the same for Shikamaru.

But when no one was watching, Shikamaru turned his head and kissed Lee on the lips. The Nara heir chuckled and smirked when Lee squeaked then whispered that he'd see him tomorrow before walking off with Ino and Chouji.

' **Have I mentioned how much I approve of Shikamaru~?** ' Mother spoke in his head, her voice pleasantly sleepy.

Lee stared after his –hopefully- future mate and released an embarrassingly dreamy sigh, ' _ **Yes, you have…I like him too…I really like him.**_ '

' **He rates with your Angel.** ' Mother decided after a minute of thought, ' **Those are the two you deserve above all else and I pray that we can get all your heart desire Kitten. You deserve nothing less.** '

Lee blushed softly but his smile was a little sad.

"Kaa-chan?" Naruto's voice broke Lee out of his thoughts and Lee turned to the bright boy.

"What's wrong?" Naruto asked, a slight frown on his lips, "Didn't you have fun tonight?"

"Oh, I did Naru. I really did." Lee said and he moved, pulling Naruto into a warm hug, "and it is all thanks to you, my special fox."

"What do you mean?" Naruto asked but he was grinning as he hugged Lee back, nuzzling into him, "You made friends yourself, Kaa-chan."

"Ah, but without meeting you, I would have never made…friends in the first place. Tenten was right, my Naru…you have change me. You have been changing me since we first met and…all I can say is thank you. Thank you so very much my lovely son."

Naruto muffled a sniffle against Lee's shirt and he hugged Lee harder. He shook his head and opened his mouth but then seemed to change his mind. He shook his head again and finally said, "Then…thank you too, for accepting me…for being my Kaa-chan and caring for me. You've brought change with you too and my…my life has never been better, since you've come."

Lee smiled and pressed a long kiss to Naruto's head then finally pulled away, "Alright, time for bed! We all have an early day tomorrow!"

Lee turned and spotted Sasuke and Sakura waiting by the stairway. He smiled again and said, "I will help with your packing tomorrow. It will be different, being in the Forest of Death."

They nodded and Lee lead them into their own rooms, giving them all a kiss goodnight. When he closed the last door, he found his mind wandering to Sakura.

' _ **When would you say was the last time she saw or even mentioned her biological parents?**_ ' Lee suddenly asked and he felt Mother perk up.

' **Hmm, it has truly been a long while. You would think if she cared for them that she would spend what could be her last night with them.** ' Matatabi answered and Lee could _feel_ the grin in her voice even as she acted nonchalant.

' _ **Very true~ Maybe she considers this, us, her team, more like family?**_ ' Lee echoed Matatabi's grin and it was slightly evil

' **Only thing to do is to get rid of the undesirables~** ' Mother giggled and if Lee could, he would have too,

' _ **As soon as I can...it will be done, and she will truly become ours.**_ ' Lee grinned wider and it was more insane than normal. He purred in excitement then had to force himself to calm down lest he forgo waiting and get rid of those stains on Sakura's life already. When he was calm again, he moved away from the door and began walking.

He passed Kakashi's room and paused as he felt the man's chakra in there. After a moment, he softly knocked and a few seconds later, Kakashi opened the door.

Lee blinked then smiled as the Jonin looked...relaxed. He was wearing a sleeveless dark blue turtleneck that extended into a mask and a black pair of ninja pants. Lee leaned against the door frame and asked, "Why did you not come down, Kashi?"

"Maa, I didn't want to crash the party." Kakashi said, chuckling as he rubbed the back of his head.

Lee shook his head and said, "You would not have. I would have...enjoyed your company."

"You give an old man like me too much." Kakashi said and his voice took on a strange tone.

Lee's expression subtly twisted into confusion, "What do you mean...? I treat you exactly how I want."

Kakashi sighed and rubbed the back of his head again. Then he reached out and placed his hand on Lee's head, almost...petting Lee before his hand slowly fell. His hand brushed against Lee's cheek and seemed to pause there for a moment as if...cupping it, then his hand fell back to his side, "Never mind. You don't have to listen to an old man's rambles."

Lee frowned and said, "You are not an old man Kashi. You should stop saying that." for some reason, the words were beginning to irritate him. He didn't like it.

"Sure sure." Kakashi said in an almost forced careless tone.

Lee frowned a little harder then shook his head. He turned on his heel to leave but paused and looked back, feeling oddly shy as he said, "I made sure to save some of the food for you. You should go downstairs to eat..." then he made himself grin and tried their old flirty banter that had somehow vanished in the last month, "I would not want my favorite Jonin to waste away! Who would be a feast for my eyes then!"

Then Lee quickly walked to his room.

Kakashi stared at Lee's retreating form with affection in his revealed eyes. He scrubbed a hand over his face and tried to look away from where Lee disappeared but his eyes kept going back.

"He's too young, dammit. Get that through your head already." Kakashi scolded himself then made himself walk downstairs to eat. He felt warm inside when he saw the covered food with a little note saying that it was for him and no one else could touch.

"...Dammit." Kakashi slumped into his seat and sighed.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The next morning had Lee helping Team Seven with their packing, making sure that they had ample weapons, water, and non-perishable food that didn't require any extra effort. They said goodbye to Kakashi and the man wished them luck before they went on separate directions.

Soon, Lee was staring at the huge forest, waiting until it was their turn to turn in their slips and collect a scroll.

"What are you thinking?" Neji asked quietly, stepping beside Lee.

Lee tore his eyes away from the forest and slightly smiled at his team mate, "Nothing..." he looked back at the forest then quietly said, "No, not nothing... This place lives up to its name. The scent of blood can be smelt even from here and if you listen close, you can hear the animals close by..."

"Are you scared?" Neji looked at Lee, his arms crossed nonchalantly but his eyes actually worried.

"...Not even close~" Lee said and he felt excitement well up within him.

Neji chuckled then a small grin closed his lips, "That's more like the Lee we know and l-" he cut himself off and his cheeks began turning red. He turned and signed his own slip before taking Lee's and quickly saying, "I will get our scroll."

He went to Tenten and took her slip as well before leaving to get their scroll.

Lee laughed lightly in puzzlement and shook his head. Then he quickly looked for Team Seven and when his eyes found them, he went over to them.

"Kittens." Lee said and they turned to him with relief. Lee smiled and touched them all on their shoulders, "As soon as we go in, I will begin searching for you. Keep moving until I find you and only try to take naps instead of actual sleep. Two hours each with one keeping watch for one hour. Do you understand?"

They nodded with determination then Naruto grinned, "Don't worry Kaa-chan. We'll be okay until you find us, then we'll take down everyone! Believe it!"

Lee giggled and gave Naruto a nod, "Believe I do." he said as always, enjoying the smile Naruto got when he did.

"Don't worry; I'll keep them on their toes." Sakura said and Lee aimed a large smile at her.

"Oh that I know for sure my brilliant blossom." Lee said then he looked at Sasuke and placed his hands on both of his shoulders, "And you, my fierce little wolf. You will keep them and yourself safe, correct? Keep Naruto away from dangerous fights and make sure no one tries to get Sakura?"

Sasuke blinked in slight surprise then he seemed to stand taller. He smirked and said, "'Course, I'll keep Sakura and the Dobe safe."

"And yourself." Lee said firmly and Sasuke's expression went surprised again before his ears slowly turned red.

Sasuke nodded, a tiny _smile_ on his lips, "Yeah yeah." he said, "Me too. Just...come find us quick..." Sasuke shifted then made himself look into Lee's eyes as he said, "You're...you're family."

Lee smiled so brightly that his cheeks immediately began to hurt, "Indeed, I will not rest until I do."

Then Lee looked at all three and it strangely felt like his heart was in his throat as he spoke without any prior thought.

"I love you three."

The words had come out and it was the first time he'd ever said such a thing. He swallowed hard and turned on his heel before he could get a reply and quickly went to his own team. He had no time to find anyone else and could only hope that they would be strong enough to survive.

He briefly felt eyes on him and quickly turned to lock eyes with Gaara. His heart stuttered for a moment and like it was just hitting him now, he realized that everyone could _die_ in there. His breath felt short and though he _knew_ Gaara would have the best chance of survival, he felt worry cloud him.

" _Be careful, be safe!_ " Lee mouthed quickly, his gaze boring into Gaara's. That was the only reason he noticed the Red heads eyes widen just slightly. Lee gave Gaara a worried smile then looked as Neji called his name.

They got their scroll and they would now be lead to their starting gate.

Lee felt his heart begin to pound and panic began twisting his gut. Emotions that he hadn't felt in _years_ were suddenly popping up and Lee felt _nauseous_. He needed to find Shikamaru! He needed to tell him to meet up with them so they could have a better chance. He needed- He needed-

' **KITTEN!** ' Mother shouted in his head, making him flinch then freeze.

' **Breathe Kitten. All will be fine. We will find those we care for and we will protect them. No one shall get past us.** ' Matatabi said, slowly calming Lee.

Lee took in a shaky breath then nodded to himself. Yes. He would find everyone and a _painful death_ to _any_ who tried to stop him.

No one would hurt what he claimed as _his_.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was only a few hours before they got their needed scroll and Neji suggested that they all split up to take care of the competition. Lee almost sighed in relief but he choked down the urge and agreed with Neji. They agreed to meet at the tower in three days' time.

As soon as the others left, Lee sprinted in the direction that he could vaguely feel Kurama's chakra. He didn't think that he'd be able to get away so fast and was practically ecstatic that he could. It took him too long in his mind but within three hours, Lee finally found his kittens.

And saw that they were being attacked by rain ninja.

Lee hissed and dropped down from the tree he was in. He almost stepped forward to _drag_ the man from the shadows where he hid, but he stopped himself. Now would be a good time to see how much his team of Genin's had improved.

And improved they had.

Naruto made enough Shadow Clones to hit each clone once and he shouted out that they were fake. Sakura looked up then to the ground and scowled before bringing chakra to her hand and hitting the ground, exploding her chakra just before touching the ground so she created a small scale earthquake that broke open the dirt. The Rain ninja was forced to the surface and Sasuke immediately caught him in a fire jutsu, knocking the man out through pain.

Naruto searched his body quickly but there was no scroll. He stood up to just leave him on the ground but Lee spoke out.

"Finish him."

The three turned, calling out his name immediately. Lee smiled at them then looked at Naruto, "He was ready to kill all of you to get your scroll. If you leave him, he will try again. He will get his teammates and come after you. Are you willing to risk that?"

Naruto froze and grit his teeth. He looked at Sakura and Sasuke then to Lee before shaking his head, "No…no I'm not."

Lee smiled as Naruto turned and took out his kunai. He slashed it across the man's neck then turned away, walking back to the others with shaky steps. Sasuke and Sakura stepped up, Sasuke taking the kunai away from Naruto and Sakura taking Naruto's hand in hers. Sasuke cleaned the kunai of the blood, using some of the water in his canteen that Lee had him pack. Sakura just laced her fingers with Naruto's without a word.

His first kill. He might have felt that other man die when Sakura was the one to kill him but it wasn't his kill. This was. Detached and slightly cold, a quick swipe of sharp metal and life left.

Sakura's had been…intimate. A slow drawn out thing that she could feel every second of.

The only one to not dirty their hands was Sasuke and Lee kind of didn't want him to. At least, he didn't want that close kill, he wanted Sasuke to stay far from the body, to not have to see or smell the death.

Yes, that could work. Sakura for the close kill, she had the perfect chakra control for it. With her smarts, he could see her becoming a Hunter-nin or a Medic-nin. That reminded him that he needed to upgrade her weights too. She was moving very swiftly for what she wore and Lee knew she was carrying fifty pounds each.

Naruto would be best for middle range, able to pair his attacks with Sakura or Sasuke. His Shadow clones allowed him to stay away from the actual fight as well so he could be the one to make sure that they always had an escape. The trickster with his traps, Naruto would be able to prepare when they were making camp.

Sasuke at long range. His fire jutsu's were already perfect for that and Lee could teach him more. Hm…Sasuke could learn medic jutsu as well. He didn't have perfect chakra control like Sakura but he could learn the basics.

Of course, he would not damage them by only teaching them techniques to keep them at those distances. He would teach them to be versatile when need be, just…stick to what they will be best at.

He really did need to test their chakra affiliations…

"Good job, my Naru." Lee said, pulling away from his thoughts. He cupped Naruto's cheeks and kissed both of them, "It might feel…bad, but as I have said before, you are protecting your family. It is better for others to die instead of those you care for."

Naruto nodded quickly though he leaned into Lee's touch. His hand squeezed Sakura's happy that he really did have a family with his team.

"Here." Sasuke said, holding out the now clean Kunai.

Naruto looked and smiled at Sasuke, saying, "Ha, thanks Teme…" he took the weapon, feeling better than before. He put it away then stood up straight.

"Okay, I'm good. Let's go." Naruto grinned but he didn't let go of Sakura's hand and Sakura didn't pull away.

Lee smiled and they all started running. As they did, Lee still felt like he couldn't really breathe. His Kittens were here but what about the others? What about Ino and Chouji? What about Gaara? What about _Shikamaru_? Lee's breath caught and he fought against the panic threatening him again.

They fought a few more times, ninja from other villages and Sakura took the burden of killing them the most, not wanting the boys to feel the nauseating feeling of taking life. She almost threw up the first time when she tried to use her same chakra punch on the ground, on another ninja's face. His head had exploded from the back and Sakura saw brain matter hit the ground. Lee had pulled her into his arms immediately and she had clung to him while still dry heaving, fighting everything to keep the bile inside her.

Naruto and Sasuke had quickly crowded her after their own bout of nausea passed. Naruto hugged her tightly and Sasuke leaned against her free side so she was just surrounded by warmth. Instead of Lee saying that she did good, Sasuke said thank you. Naruto praised her as much as he could, not praising that actual kill but praising her for protecting them, for protecting their family.

In the end, all Lee did was smile and kiss her soft hair, whispering that he loved her and that she was his special blossom.

After that, Sakura steeled herself and she took pride in her kills, doing all she could to protect everyone. Their last fight had, amusingly, been the Rain ninja's teammates from the beginning. They had the scroll that Team Seven needed.

Lee called them all to a stop and said that it was time to make camp.

"We aren't sleeping in two hour sections?" Sasuke asked, turning his head to Lee.

"No, I said that in case you three were alone." Lee said, "You can sleep through, I will be the only one keeping watch."

"But don't you need to sleep Kaa-chan?"

Lee smiled at Naruto and pet his head, "I am used to staying up. I can last three days."

"Tch. I'll take first watch." Sasuke suddenly said, making Lee blink in surprise.

"Wait, but-" Lee began but Naruto interrupted.

"I'll take second."

"Third." Sakura called out as she helped Naruto with some traps.

Lee stared at them then chuckled, shaking his head, "Fine, I know when I am beaten."

"Lee!" A voice called from the tree-line and Lee snapped his head around, his heart suddenly at a rabbit's pace in his chest.

"Shikamaru?" Lee took a step forward and a wide smile stretched his lips as Team Ten came out of the tree-line.

"Forehead!" Ino called out just as Sakura shouted, "Pig!"

The two girls ran to each other and hugged tightly. Ino pulled back first and began talking animatedly as she looked the pink haired girl over for any injuries.

Lee on the other hand, found himself moving towards Shikamaru without any thought. When he was close enough, it was Shikamaru who yanked him into a tight hug and actually spun him around. Lee felt his heart skip and it felt like he could finally _breathe_.

"Shika, Shika, Shika!" Lee chanted happily, practically wrapping his entire body around the shadow user, "You do not know how glad I am to see you!"

Shikamaru chuckled and pressed his face into Lee's neck. His arms tightened around Lee and he whispered, "You're safe…"

Lee swallowed hard and rubbed his cheek against Shikamaru's before nodding, "I am fine, you do not need to worry about me."

Shikamaru choked out a laugh, "You'd think I'd know that already. I know you're strong, that's obvious but…damn. I was…worried." Shikamaru felt his ears burn and he muttered, "Troublesome."

"H-hey! What are you doing to Kaa-chan!?" Naruto suddenly shouted, pointing at Lee and Shikamaru and waving his finger.

"Really, Naruto?" Sakura said, slightly laughing, "Isn't it obvious?"

"Tch." Sasuke looked away, looking slightly annoyed.

"What do you mean?!" Naruto looked at Sakura then frowned at Shikamaru, "You better not be trying anything funny with Kaa-chan! I'll kick your ass! Believe it!"

"Idiot!" Sakura said, knocking Naruto over the head but really it was more like a tap against his head with her knuckles, "They're going out!"

"Oh~ Shikamaru~ I didn't know you were such a lover boy~" Ino tested with a foxlike grin on her face. She looked all too happy.

"Whaaat!" Naruto looked at Lee with wide eyes "B-but, but-!"

Lee pushed his face into Shikamaru's neck, his entire body shaking with how hard he was suppressing his laughs. Shikamaru sighed in his ear, his cheeks red, but then he looked at Naruto and said,

"What a drag... Sorry Naruto, I'm taking the position of being Lee's boyfriend."

Lee froze and it felt like his entire body went red. He felt Shikamaru shift and whisper, "...that alright?" in his ear. Lee swallowed hard and nodded shortly.

"If..." Lee's voice was slightly raspy so he quickly cleared it before whispering, "If that is...what you really want...I have something that I- That I need to tell you...after the exam."

Shikamaru hummed then nodded. He reluctantly let go of Lee when the Taijutsu user slipped off of his body. Then he put his hand on Lee's hot cheek. He gave Lee a crooked grin but said nothing, only grinning wider when Lee's skin darkened with more blood. Then his own cheeks reddened again when Lee turned his head and kissed his palm.

"Troublesome..." Shikamaru muttered, staring intently at Lee now, "You're not being fair at all."

Lee giggled shyly and smiled, "Come on, your team is going to join ours. Do you have two scrolls?"

Shikamaru sighed, "No...it's been a drag. Everyone we saw was too strong."

"Then we can help you. We've gathered a few Earth scrolls if you need that. If you need Heaven then we can help you get one." Lee said, his voice taking on a chirp-like quality.

"I'll see with the others if they'll accept that... Thanks." Shikamaru finally let his hand fall put his took Lee's hand instead.

The rest of Team Ten would accept but they also wanted to fight to prove themselves. It was just an extra if they didn't have that worry of needing a scroll. So they banded together, Team Seven plus Lee, and Team Ten.

Honestly, Lee loved it; few things could make this better. Or really, a few _people_ could make this better.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So sorry this chappy was late! I was really busy yesterday TT^TT  
> I hope you all enjoy!  
> Please leave a comment!

Lee was the first one to wake up -beside who was keeping watch-, and despite them being in the Forest of Death and only on the second day, Lee could say that he had never felt happier since coming to Konoha.

Shikamaru was _spooning_ him from behind, his body heat sinking into his back and making him want to purr. It felt so very nice~

Then there was Naruto who was pressed against his front, curled into a ball that let Lee cradle him to his heart's content.

Yes, he was _happy_.

Sakura was on the other side of Naruto, her hand curled in Naruto's jacket, and on her other side was Sasuke who -adorably enough- was tilted towards her and his own hand was clutching the loose part of her dress.

Ino was above Sakura's head, their hair mixing together prettily as their heads were in line with each other's like they spent a little time talking before falling asleep. The small smiles on their faces confirmed that. Then, when Lee looked, he noticed that Ino was holding onto the end of Chouji's scarf, who was awake, having taken the last watch.

Lee smiled at Chouji and was given a smile back. Then, Chouji looked at Shikamaru who shifted and pressed harder against Lee's back before returning his gaze to Lee.

"Hey..." He said and Lee gave a hum in question, "You...you're not playing with him are you? You're serious about being with Shikamaru?"

Lee blinked in surprise then smiled again, happy that Shikamaru had someone to ask him that. He looked at Chouji and decided that the boy deserved an honest answer.

"You know..." Lee began, pausing for just a moment before saying, "I am not originally from Konoha. I have only been here for a little over two years and in all the time I have spent here...in all the time I have spent outside of Konoha, trying to live...I have only met one person who has given me the same feeling Shikamaru has... I made a mistake and let that person walk out of my life. I am not going to make that mistake twice."

Lee smiled, "So yes, I am completely serious and I want Shikamaru in my life forever."

Chouji listened quietly and when Lee finished, he gave Lee a wide grin, "Good," he said, "I'll hold you to that then. Don't make him sad okay? He's a lot better of a person than anyone I know."

"That I believe completely." Lee said

They stayed quiet after that, enjoying the peace that was rare in the Forest of Death. Twenty minutes later, Shikamaru tightened his arms around Lee then slightly sat up. He looked and it was him that kissed Lee's cheek first before quickly kissing Lee's lips. He smirked at the happy blush on Lee's cheeks then looked at Naruto.

Shikamaru paused for just a moment then put a hand on Naruto's shoulder and gently shook him, "Hey, Naruto...wake up."

Lee blinked in surprise then smiled brightly, his eyes practically shining. He purred audibly then giggled when Naruto grumbled and pressed his head harder against Lee's chest before grinning in his sleep.

He mumbled something about a happy purr then woke as Shikamaru shook his shoulder again while chuckling.

"Wha? What time is it...?" Naruto mumbled, sleepily rubbing his eyes. He fell against Lee once more, acting like a kid who didn't want to wake up but in the end he did.

It was like a domino effect. Naruto moving had Sakura waking up which had Sasuke and Ino waking. Sasuke quickly released Sakura's dress before she could notice what he'd done in his sleep and Ino muttered a soft good morning to Sakura. Sakura giggled and said good morning back.

They all got up and began packing. Lee quickly went to the girls and put their hair into braided buns, telling them that it would be easier for them. Other enemies could grab their hair or their hair could get caught while running around.

They both gave him such smiles that he hugged them tightly.

How odd to think, half a year ago, he would never have thought that these type of feelings would be possible. That he could actually care for this many people and have them care for him as well.

It almost scared him.

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They'd been traveling for half a day when they stopped for a short break to eat. Naruto got up and said that he was going to relieve himself behind the trees. Lee stopped him immediately.

"No, even a few feet away, you could get taken. We will turn, it is too unsafe to take such luxuries." Lee said

Naruto grimaced but conceded quickly, knowing that Lee knew more in these situations, somehow.

Just as Naruto finished up, there was a creepy laugh coming from the opposite direction. All of them turned to see a lady come out of the tree-line.

It was the Grass-nin with the long tongue.

Lee tensed as he suddenly got a nose full of venom and something like rusted iron. It was _blood_. So much of it that it almost didn't even smell like blood anymore. He bristled as the lady came closer, Lee finally feeling that aura that _screamed_ dangerous.

Without even thinking, Lee flash stepped forward -placing himself in front of the entire group immediately- and _hissed_. His whole body was tense and his limbs were slightly bent in a position that would allow him to pounce with deadly intent.

The lady paused then began to chuckle, looking only amused at Lee's 'act'.

Lee hisses again, spitting like a feral cat and the only thing stopping him from changing is Mother and that the others are behind him.

Matatabi is eerily silent in his head but Lee can feel her apprehension. It mixed with his own and made him want to _rip_ and _tear_. This...this person was strong, too strong for anyone in their group, even when working together. Lee...he thought he might have a chance, if he got the others away and could bring out one tail at the _least_.

"RUN!" Lee shouted and he head them begin to move but-

 _Killing intent flooded the area_. Thick like syrup and choking the others as if they were drowning. Lee felt it and it made his heart pound in fear, but his fear made him want to fight and _destroy_. He heard the others fall to the ground and felt a murderous rage at how easily that _thing_ seemed to threaten what he claimed as his.

A tigers growl rumbled Lee's entire body and the air grew heavier with his own intent to kill. The same kind of freezing that the lady had.

She looked vaguely surprised then had the gall to just grin in amusement.

" _ **You will leave...**_ " Lee began, his voice changing to something dark and feminine, " _ **Leave or I will**_ _ **murder**_ _ **you...**_ "

"I'd like to sssee you try." The lady spoke for the first time since getting there, her voice like a snakes hiss.

Lee roared at her like a animal and lunged.

Lee and the lady disappeared into the tree's, leaving the two combined teams behind.

Shikamaru stared at where Lee's form vanished, his eyes wide and terrified. He wanted to gag, the killing intent that had been thrown around like nothing...it made him _sick_ with fear, but... _Lee_.

Lee was out there. Lee was fighting. He was fighting that monster _alone_.

Yet Shikamaru _couldn't move_! It was _pathetic_! Everything he tried was _useless_. _He_ was _useless!_

Naruto choked out 'Kaa-chan' like he could barely breathe. Fear trying to drown him like the anger he felt in Mist but worse because he couldn't do anything!

Ino was crying, tears streaming down her ghost white face. She looked the most out of it than anyone, her body trembling as if she was naked in snow.

Sakura kept twitching, her eyes locked on Naruto and Sasuke, her body kept trying to reach them, to protect them even if it would be her own body to do the protecting. She mentally screamed, her Inner sobbing as she kept chanting ' _Keep them safe! Keep them safe!_ '

Chouji looked like he'd throw up if even given the chance, his face wet with tears and sweat.

Sasuke...Sasuke suddenly grunted in pain as he dug a kunai into his leg. He bowed over, panting as if breaking waters' surface after twenty minutes.

"P-pain!" He choked out, "Pain breaks it!" and with that, he forced his body to move and cut Sakura first. She yelped and fell forward, her arm now throbbing. She gasped and shot up, immediately helping Sasuke in cutting the others. Naruto then Ino while Sasuke got Chouji and Shikamaru.

The moment they were able, Shikamaru and all of Team Seven ran to where Lee disappeared. Sakura helping Ino run with them as her legs felt like they could crumble under her and Sasuke helping Chouji. It was dumb, _completely stupid_ , but they couldn't stop themselves from running _towards_ the sound of fighting. They stopped just shy of a large clearing of tree branches and what they saw shocked them all.

Lee was covered in blue fire and a blue fire tail with swirls swung from his tail bone. He looked like a demon; his hair slightly floating from what Shikamaru and Sakura thought was the heat...and the 'lady'. HE looked _furious,_ with his _face_ torn and hanging off, revealing a different one beneath it. Lee lunged at the man with incredible speed and they only knew that he had slashed at the man because of the deep gouge marks that just appeared on the thick branch. The man appeared only a few feet away and snakes shot out of his sleeves but Lee's fire burned them before they could even twist around his body to bite.

"I-Ino, Chouji!" Shikamaru whispered urgently, "Go- Go find the examiners. This guy- he's too strong to be anywhere near a Genin! Get help!"

Ino hiccuped with the last of her tears and she nodded, determined though so frightened. Chouji and she jumped away, running faster than they ever had before.

The man fighting Lee seemed to say something and Lee looked _enraged_.

" _ **YOU WILL NOT TOUCH WHAT IS MINE!**_ " Lee _screamed_ and his voice had an otherworldly echoed quality that made cold shivers run up their spines. He didn't even make one handsign as he opened his mouth and shot _fire balls_ from it. He followed the fire and attacked the man again. Blood splattered on the ground where Lee's dagger-like nails ripped into flesh but the man jumped away.

The man _threw up a sword_ then grabbed the hilt. He said something else and all they could hear was the hissing after-effects. Lee lunged once again and they were too quick to see but then it suddenly _stopped_.

Lee was in the air, suspended only by the sword in his stomach. His blue fire vanished from his body along with that tail thing, and he looked so _pale_. He suddenly coughed and blood flew out of his mouth, globs of it landing on the man holding him up. The man tried to _slice_ up Lee's body but before they could even try to help -in fear, in desperation, in _oh kami no, don't do this to me, you can't be this cruel!_ -, sand crashed into them both. The two lumps of sand disentangled immediately and the one they could see getting taken away was _Lee_. The sand that stayed with the man shrunk rapidly and crushed him.

Only, something moved in the sand and the mans mangled body came out. Shikamaru turned his gaze to Lee and it felt like his heart stopped when even from his position, he could see how heavily Lee was bleeding.

Lee turned his head to Gaara, pain radiating inside his body. His voice was still dark and otherworldly as he grabbed onto Gaara's shirt and _begged_ , " _ **Please, Gaara. Protect Sasuke, he is trying to take my kitten from me!**_ "

Gaara stared down at Lee's injured form, foreign feelings rising within him even as the all too familiar anger raged inside as well. Something in those foreign feelings made Gaara listen and agree. As per his desires, sand rose and rushed toward Sasuke, protecting him just in time for the mangled man to bite sand instead of the youngest Uchiha.

Sand wrapped around them all, going above what Lee asked because Gaara knew from all the times he'd watched him, Lee considered them all his. Finally, the man Lee now knew as Orochimaru fled, his body battered and bleeding heavily.

Lee smiled beautifully at Gaara and with the last of the strength he had, he forced himself up and kissed Gaara's lips, whispering " _ **Thank you...**_ " before his world went dark and he passed out from blood loss.

Sand fell from the group and the first thing Shikamaru saw was Lee, Lee who looked dead in Gaara's arms. An agonized sound left his lips and he _ran_. His mind tormenting him with the knowledge of what that type of wound could do. He stumbled, feeling frantic and fearful, even more than before and he had never felt this painfully _scared_ before.

"G-Give him to me!" Shikamaru choked out with no thought to Gaara. His heart squeezed when Gaara only glared and held Lee tighter.

"PLEASE!" Shikamaru begged, "I can help! I can help heal him!"

Gaara let his gaze drop to Lee and without truly knowing his own reasoning besides just _wanting_ Lee to wake up again, he set Lee down on the ground with uncommon gentleness. He took only one step back and crossed his arms. His skin feeling strange where Lee's blood sunk in, almost like it was burning and for the first time, Gaara _hated_ blood.

Shikamaru fell to his knees beside Lee, his hands shaking as he took off his pack. He opened in and took out every type of medicine and healing salve he had that his family was known for besides their shadows. The bottles clunk together and he almost dropped one when he felt a hand on his shoulder. His head snapped around and he saw Ino, looking too pale but her lips were set in a determined line.

"Anko-san is going after that man." She said then nodded to Sakura who was on his other side, "Now, use that big brain of yours and tell us what to do. We won't let Lee die."

Shikamaru looked at both girls then forced himself to breathe. He nodded and his hands slowly stopped shaking as he instructed Ino to remove Lee's shirt and for Sakura to help him mix the medicines together. They worked together, as steadily yet as fast as they could. Shikamaru glanced at Lee's bare stomach and though the damage made his heart sink to his stomach, his eyes caught something.

Lee was healing.

The smaller wounds on his body was already gone and the one that pierced through his stomach looked slightly smaller. The fatal one didn't look to have that much change but Shikamaru, who was that close and staring that hard, noticed it was half a centimeter smaller.

He didn't know how or why but he didn't care. It meant that Lee had a better chance of _living_.

Sakura finished mixing her end of creams and Shikamaru slowly poured his mixed liquids into Lee's cut. His hands threatened to tremble again but he worked with single minded determination. Before long, Lee was wrapped and he had gotten the best medical attention Shikamaru could give with what he had. It would work. Shikamaru would _make_ it work.

"We should-..." Sasuke stopped and straightened up when everyone looked at him, "We should get to the tower. Maybe they'll heal him..."

"Yeah." Sakura said, "At the least, they'll make sure he won't-..." she trailed off, everyone getting what she was to say.

Surprisingly, Gaara was still there. He'd been standing to the side, watching Shikamaru work on Lee for the entire two hours. Now, he stepped forward and his sand swiftly picked Lee up and deposited the demon holder into his arms.

"H-Hey! What are you doing?!" Naruto stuttered as he had been moving to pick Lee up.

Gaara glanced at Naruto and barely said one word "Tower" before jumping to the next tree. He was gone faster than the others could think then they quickly followed.

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Gaara had already entered the building again, bypassing the scroll opening area as he'd already done it. He went to the first camera and scowled at it, then sat to wait.

He hated this as well, but something inside told him to stay and even Shukaku wasn't making noise in his head. He enjoyed that.

In fact, Shukaku almost never made noise when he was around Lee. Either he stayed silent or spoke of mates, growling to _take_ and _keep_. It was something they agreed on besides blood. He wanted to take Lee and keep him. He had thoughts of taking Lee back with him to Suna and locking Lee up where no one else could reach him, keeping him so he could never get away again.

Suddenly, a medic appeared in front of him.

"I am only allowed to check and heal him to non-fatal until it is confirmed that he has passed or has been disqualified." The medic warned and Gaara narrowed his gaze at him.

But, he didn't move, only holding Lee as his sand rustled in his gourd. The medic came close and the rustling grew louder, like it was smashing against the gourd walls, but Gaara kept it under control.

This person would heal his -future- mate, or this person would die.

The medic checked and informed him that the injury wasn't fatal, only painful. With a few stitches, he would be fine, but for now, just keep the gauze wraps on.

Luckily, Team Seven and Team Ten found them just in time to hear that. They sighed in relief and Naruto stepped forward.

"I'll take Kaa-chan." He said, holding his arms out.

Gaara spared him one glance in acknowledgment of his words but only turned and walked away. Naruto sputtered and Shikamaru immediately stepped in Gaara's way.

"Hey." Shikamaru said, "Look, we're grateful for your help but we'd like our Lee back. We'll take care of him now until his team arrives."

Gaara's lips slowly turned into a frown. This one...this one he recognized as a candidate for title of Mate. Gaara turned his frown onto the shadow user and said, "He's mine."

Then, Gaara left in a whirl of sand, taking Lee with him.


	20. Chapter 20

Lee's eyes snapped open and he shot up, immediately assuming a defensive position before he could think better. He heard two sharp intakes of air and whipped around to face the sound, lips pulling but to reveal sharp teeth, a feral look in his eyes as he stared down a girl and a boy. Then, he heard the familiar sound of rustling sand and his mind was too fogged from his healing coma but one thing did click.

Sand equaled safe.

Lee whipped around and leaped the moment he saw red hair. He landed right next to Gaara and stood he to full height. His gaze locked with Gaara's and his eyes widened a fraction as what happened finally clicked in his mind. He closed his eyes for a moment then stepped closer to Gaara, asking,

"Where are the others? Are they okay?"

Gaara was silent for just a moment, staring at Lee with interest before finally answering, "They are fine."

Lee breathed a sigh of relief then smiled at Gaara, "Thank you. I saw you protect them as well, not just my wolf."

Lee gave Gaara a greater smile and cupped his face. He saw Gaara's pupils dilate at his touch and laughed softly before pressing his lips onto Gaara's. He suddenly felt hands on his hips, gripping tightly enough to bruise. He squeaked on accident and pulled away, feeling slightly embarrassed.

He heard a choked sound come from behind him but ignored it and instead, smiled at Gaara, saying "Oh, I would enjoy having you as a mate Gaara..."

Gaara's eyes snapped to Lee's but then Lee sighed.

"Unfortunately, if you wish for that, you would have to learn to share." At the sight of Gaara's eyes narrowing, Lee giggled softly and explained, "You live in Suna, Gaara. I live in Konoha. I would love to be a mate to one as strong as you but I need a mate that will be close to me. I owe Konoha a great deal and I cannot leave."

Gaara scowled, slightly showing his teeth. He was silent for a moment, as if listening to someone then he said, "You will be mine and stay mine for as long as you are with me. I will kill anyone else who tries to interfere."

Lee smiled happily and nodded, he could agree to that whole heartedly. He made to pull away and was about to when Gaara's lips suddenly slammed back onto his. Lee would have stumbled back if it weren't for Gaara's hands still gripping him. Lee inhaled sharply, his lips feeling like they were beginning to bruise already. He made a slight noise and turned his head, slanting his lips with Gaara's more comfortably. He raised his hands and cupped Gaara's face again, he kissed Gaara the way he had read before when books were the only hint to how emotions were meant to feel.

Lee gently took Gaara's lip into his mouth and sucked on the flesh. He felt Gaara's hands jolt on his hips then grip tighter. A growl vibrated his lips from Gaara's mouth and like he was being fed information, Gaara suddenly kissed him fiercely. His tongue pushed its way into his mouth and Lee made a sound that he's never made before; a slightly high-pitched whimper that was caught by Gaara's lips.

Lee's legs trembled and a heat rose within him, cloying and unfamiliar. He'd never felt this before and it slightly frightened him. He felt the butterflies in his stomach, the warmth that would run through his body, but not this heat pooling low in his stomach.

A strange sound –in his mind- left him, a moan from deep in his chest as Gaara licked the inside of his mouth and Lee legs crumpled under him. The hands on his hips yanked him forward and Lee felt the hard line of Gaara's body against his own. He gripped Gaara's shoulders tightly, little -embarrassing- sounds escaping him with every lick. Strange things were happening inside his body and Lee felt torn. He wanted to continue but, he didn't exactly know what was happening. The heat in his stomach was growing and this _pleasure_ raced through him.

Gaara groaned roughly, startling Lee. That was when Lee realized that he was _rubbing his body against Gaara's_.

Lee yanked himself away, almost stumbling to the ground when he got free. He panted hard and looked at the red head. His face _burned_ when he saw Gaara staring at him with dark eyes, slowly pulling his tongue back into his mouth after licking his lips. Gaara took one step towards Lee and Lee squeaked again.

"I-I have to go!" Lee stuttered, rushing out of the room and passing the two Suna ninja that were right outside the door.

How Gaara had been staring at him… _hungry_. Lee shivered hard, _wanting_ to go back and continue. His teeth ached and he had the incredible urge to sink his fangs into unprotected skin. Biting a mate was a left over from the demons inside them, they could input demonic chakra into their chosen ones, and it would be like a little light in the back of their mind, warm and steady. It would tell them what direction their chosen was at any time, if they accepted the chakra into their body.

To accept being a mate…

Lee put his fingers to his teeth and moaned.

The thought was decadent in his mind; to truly have a mate, one to create a family with. How badly he _wanted_.

No, he had to focus on the now, not the future. First thing to do, find his team and progress to the third stage of the exams. After that, find Team Seven and Team Ten. He needed to know how his kittens were. With a nod, Lee began running, finding a way out of the tower and spreading his senses to try and find his team. They weren't in the tower, that was easy to scope out, but they weren't- oh, no, they were coming this way now.

Part of Lee was glad that Neji and Tenten didn't know what had happened. To them, he had simply got to the tower first and had been waiting for him. The black of his clothes disguised the blood that had stained him and his injury had healed so it only seemed like his shirt had been cut.

They walked into the room they were meant to and opened the scrolls. Their teacher greeted them and told them what their scrolls meant before ushering them forward. He did pull Lee to the side and asked how he was, the knowledge in his eyes almost made Lee panic but it was clear that Gai only knew about the attack and not exactly what happened besides Lee getting hurt.

Lee smiled and told Gai that he was okay then followed his team. He separated from them once more to find his two special teams. He followed Kurama's chakra and was lead to one room.

For a moment, he felt nervous and Lee actually questioned if he should knock or not. How they saw him last…they must have seen his fire, his tail. Lee suddenly felt nauseous. He'd never told them… What if-…

He stood there for a mere moment before the door suddenly swung open and Naruto was standing there, looking so _hopeful_.

"…Hello Naru." Lee whispered with a small hesitant smile

Naruto stared in disbelief then his expression twisted and suddenly, he was crying, "Kaa-chan!" Naruto yelled, throwing himself at Lee and wrapping his arms around the other demon holder tightly. His body shook and he was blubbering, "I- we- We couldn't find you! I didn't know what to do! You could've _died_!"

Lee held Naruto close, softly shushing him and telling him that it was all okay, he was safe, he was not hurt. He pressed soft kisses to Naruto's head then he suddenly had another body crash into him. He saw pink hair and his expression softened. He included Sakura into the hug and gave her kisses too,

"Do not worry, my little ones, I am safe, I am fine." Lee whispered then he looked up. He saw Sasuke there too, only a few feet away, expression subtly torn. Lee smiled and opened one arm to him. Sasuke took large steps, trying to not run as he subtly clung to Lee as well.

That, Sasuke couldn't take anyone he cared for dying anymore. He had so little already. Lee, Sakura and Naruto, just like Lee said, they were his _family_ ; his slightly broken but somehow perfect family. He has loved and lost and he never wanted to lose again. Naruto had never really had someone like Lee before and he didn't want the loneliness of before creeping into his life again, because of Lee, he had family, those he couldn't live without.

Sakura hadn't suffered loss, she had close calls, times when she thought that a loved one was gone. She had been there when they all thought Sasuke had died in Mist, but that had been silent, almost bloodless. What she saw before, all that blood just pouring from Lee's stomach. It froze something inside her despite being able to help Shikamaru save Lee. Then that guy, Gaara, had stolen Lee away. She'd been so scared that Lee would die away from them.

Lee who had taught her to be better, Lee who made her team into a family that she felt closer to than her real one. No, Team Seven was her real family and nothing could change her mind on that. Just like Lee said before.

"My precious kittens, I have missed you so much. I am so glad you are all safe." Lee said, feeling his eyes begin to burn. He hugged them tightly and showered them with quiet love. It took a long while before they finally moved into the room where Team Ten was sitting as well. Lee lead them to the bed and somehow got them to sit with him. Sakura holding onto his right arm, laying her head on his shoulder. Sasuke held his left hand though he slightly hid it with his body as he leaned against Lee as well. Naruto lay on the bed, tangled in his legs as he pushed his face against Lee's stomach, hugging his waist tightly. Team Ten watched with different emotions. There was worry in them all and relief but with different intensities.

Quietly, Ino stood and went to Sakura side. She leaned against the pink haired girl and put on hand on Lee. Shikamaru was second and he got behind Lee, leaned back so their backs were pressed together. He let out a long quiet breath as Lee leaned against him and he gently touched Lee's braid, slowly inhaling the now comforting scent of honey. Chouji followed Shikamaru but he leaned against the headboard of the bed, his leg touching Shikamaru and Ino.

Team Seven and Ten fell asleep all too easily like that, having not gone to sleep the night before as they'd tried to find Lee. Lee simply followed them into slumber and the hours passed them by like they were the only ones there.

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The fourth day of the second Exam came and went with them all staying together. Lee's own team found them and joined them as well. They spoke of the competition and what might happen next but mostly, they spoke of other things. Things they'd be doing if it weren't for the Exam; laughing at each other for funny stories. Though, Lee did notice an extra member in the form of an eye. Lee smiled at the floating sand eye and when the others were not looking, hid it close by where it could see the entire room without anyone else noticing.

It was…nice. Lee enjoyed himself and he felt…calm, safe. In a small bubble the size of their room. Just for them…

The fifth day came and they were called into a large arena.

And they had to fight against each other to proceed.

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There was an uneven number of fighters so one would go through without needing to fight.

"Do you think that we will all make it through?" Sakura asked, turning to her team.

"Without a doubt." Lee said, leaning back against the railing, "You three have trained, more than most genin have baring a few."

"Yeah! Don't worry Sakura-chan! We had Kaa-chan too! Since he taught us, we gotta show off!" Naruto grinned and Sakura sighed fondly.

"Hn...they won't know what hit them." Sasuke added.

"Are they not too cute, Kakashi~?" Lee purred, slowly tilting his head towards the man.

"They are, I'm slightly sad that I had no hand in how they've grown" He said, crossing his arms and leaning against the railing next to Lee.

"Do not worry, Kashi-kun. I still have need for you." Lee said then tilted his head when Kakashi twitched.

"...Must you say things like that...?" Kakashi mumbled, rubbing at his covered face, then he sighed and looked at Lee, "What do you need from me?"

"I am going to test their elements after the test. I know you have jutsu's for each element. I would like you to help me train them in that."

"...Alright. I'm glad to know I won't be completely useless." Kakashi chuckled then he felt his heart skip as Lee pressed his small body against his arm and whispered,

"You were never useless to me, Kakashi..."

Then, the electronic board showed the names for the first match.

Sasuke vs Yoroi.

Sasuke won, keeping away from the man on instinct. He knocked the man out with his fire ball jutsu, cutting it off before he could actually kill the man. Lee had no doubts hewould win and told Sasuke as such when the boy came back up.

Shino vs Zaku

Shino won after causing the sound ninja's arms to practically explode. It pleased the feral part of Lee, making him lick his lips. He shivered at Zaku's pained shout and wished that Shino would make him scream again.

Kankuro vs Misumi

Kankuro went through, though the battle slightly disturbed Lee. He didn't like the stretchy limbs...

Sakura vs Ino

Sakura won after gaining a promise that no matter what happened, they'd stay friends. Lee purred with pride. She had used her training to her best ability and didn't even remove her weights. Her time with Naruto had made a good impact with the tricks she'd shown. Ino did her best but there was a difference in training as Lee hadn't held back with improving his kittens.

Temari vs Tenten

Temari won and Lee almost hissed with his disappointment. Surely Tenten was stronger than that? It was only expected to have other moves to not be defeated by the one who was your enemy, weapons wise.

Shikamaru vs Kin

Lee _purred_ when Shikamaru won. It made him want to jump of the boy and kiss him. Shikamaru was _smart_ , he knew that but to see it in action was another thing. He hoped that he would get to see it again!

Naruto vs Kiba

Naruto won all too easily with his tricks and traps and Lee couldn't be happier! All his kittens had made it through! As did Shikamaru~ today was an extremely good day~

Neji vs Hinata

Lee had to bit his lip to keep from laughing. That fight was _entertaining_. Too much talking, Lee didn't care for mental abuse but the ruthless way Neji attacked his own cousin was _delightful_. Hinata fought the best she could, sure, but it was pitiful how…scared she was. Yet she seemed to be fighting because of something as she didn't just give up.

Her fault. She paid the consequence with her heart.

When she spat out blood, Lee had to put a hand to his mouth to hide his _grin_.

Dosu vs Choji

Lee's earlier enjoyment plummeted and Lee growled softly when Chouji lost. It did serve a purpose for him though. This Dosu man used sound as a weapon. Interesting…

And last...

Gaara vs Kabuto

It only took a few minutes for Kabuto to bow out.

The ones going through chose numbers and a month from then they would fight each other.

Naruto vs Neji

Shikamaru vs Temari

Sakura vs Kankuro

Lee vs Gaara

Shino vs Sasuke

Dosu would fight the winner from the first battle last.


	21. Chapter 21

Right after they were lead out of the tower, Lee and the others went home. What made him purr quietly with smug satisfaction was that Sakura came with him and the boys instead of going back to her original home. Lee unlocked their front door and ushered them in, even Kakashi. He made sure they all put their shoes in a row for easy access then did the same before doing to the kitchen. The children went to their rooms' to shower and Kakashi followed Lee to the kitchen.

"When do you plan on training them?" Kakashi asked as he sat at the kitchen table.

"Tomorrow, as soon as I can get my hands on chakra paper." Lee answered as he moved around, grabbing the things needed to make lunch.

"I'll get those."

"Oh?" Lee paused and looked at Kakashi is surprise. Then he smiled, "Alright, can you get extra too? I will pay you back."

"Don't worry. I am supposed to be their teacher. It's the least I could do to help you."

Lee giggled, "I guess that we have joint custody then."

Kakashi felt his face warm under his mask and his heart skipped at Lee's smile. He rubbed at his covered mouth and made himself chuckle though it sounded too flustered to his own ears, "You would be a good mother." He said.

Lee blushed softly and ducked his head to hide a smile, "You have said something similar before…"

"…It's no less true."

Lee's smile grew and his heart was beating strangely fast in his chest, a reaction he never really had around Kakashi. He reverted to teasing and said, "Does that make you my husband then?"

Kakashi jolted slightly, his eye going wide. He coughed into his hand, clearing his throat. He'd never been so glad for his mask. He knew his face was red now, even the small revealed parts of his face. Husband…his traitorous mind give him the image and his heart raced in his chest. It was something he'd never actually let himself think about as everyone he cared about always seemed to leave to the other side. But Lee…Lee was a demon holder, it'd be so much harder to kill him. Maybe…?

"Kakashi? Are you alright?" Lee paused in his cooking, taking a step towards the man in soft worry.

Kakashi quickly nodded, swallowing roughly. He couldn't think that way. Lee was young, maybe not mentally but…He couldn't ruin Lee like that.

"I'm fine. I'll go get the chakra paper now. I'll be back before you're done." He said quickly then left.

Lee stared at the doorway in confusion then slowly bit his lip.

' _ **Mother? Do you know what that was about?**_ '

'… **Sorry, Kitten, I do not. It seemed that he was enjoying himself…maybe he actually was not? Or the Chakra Paper really is important?** '

Lee hummed. He hoped that it really was just about the chakra paper. He turned back to the food and chatted happily with Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke when they came down. True to his word, Kakashi come back just before Lee finished and they had lunch together. Kakashi seemed to have calmed and they all joked and laughed together. Even Sasuke was chuckling and making a few, a huge difference from what he would have been like half a year ago.

After eating, all three helped to clean up and Lee quickly when to Kakashi to take the Chakra Paper, telling him that they could test now and maybe figure out what to do.

Lee called the three to their backyard and had them stand in front of him and Kakashi.

"Alright. Kakashi had been kind enough to get these for us." Lee help up the slips of paper, " This is Chakra Paper, can anyone tell me what Chakra Paper does?"

Sakura look at the boys and when Sasuke shifted, she smiled and pressed him forward. He looked back at her with a mock scowl then said, "Chakra Paper tells us what element we are best at."

"Correct! That is what we will be doing today!" Lee smiled.

"What's your element, Kaa-chan?"

"Me? I do not use chakra, Naru."

"But what about that blue fire stuff from the Exam?" Naruto asked, slightly frowning. Sakura and Sasuke both looked at Lee with interested gazes as well.

Lee could feel Kakashi's gaze on him too, a silent question of ' _What happened? Was it because of you-know-who?_ '

"Yeah, I've never seen that before." Sasuke said, "I didn't know you could do that with fire. Is that your main element then?"

Lee tensed and after a moment, he chuckled but there was no humor in it. He plastered on a smile and said, "Ah...that...that was a special circumstance. I-..."

Lee's smile suddenly dropped and the three flinched at how _blank_ Lee looked, as if he were a lifeless doll. Lee lolled his head and looked at Kakashi who'd never stopped staring.

"I think...I am going to tell them."

"...The Hokage doesn't want too many people knowing."

"Oh Kashi-kun, you make it sound like that matters to me~" Lee purred in a slightly _off_ manner. He let his eyes trail back to _his_ Genin and he took in their worried expressions. He chuckled with some humor that time and smiled.

"Do you know what Jinchuriki are?" Lee asked and Naruto flinched, his eyes going wide in slight fear but he didn't say anything.

He thought that Lee was going to tell his secret but he still didn't say anything.

"I read about them somewhere. Aren't Jinchuriki demons?" Sakura asked, hesitant.

"No, Jinchuriki are vessels, people that hold demons inside them. They keep the demon's from coming back into our world." Lee corrected and Sakura hummed.

"So...they are like protectors?" Sakura asked and Lee could see the happiness that flashed in Naruto's eyes. He smiled.

"Yes, a bit like that. Of course, not all of them are. You see, too many people view Jinchuriki as the demons themselves, causing them to grow up rather horribly. Most grow up alone or are turned into weapons for their village. Never shown love or mercy...yes...the life of a jinchuriki is...desolate." Lee said as he looked at their reactions.

Naruto looked ready to cry but he was holding it in. Sakura had an expression of concerned horror and Sasuke just looked extremely uneasy.

"But...what does that have to do with you?" Sakura asked, her tone filled with reluctance and unease.

"Oh, that is right, I was trying to explain..." Lee said, he'd gotten caught up in the life of others like him that he'd forgotten.

"I am one of nine Jinchuriki, fire is the element of my demon so I am more proficient than the others." Lee said

"Y-you?!" Naruto sputtered then his eyes widened and he said, "NINE?! There are others?!" Naruto looked so hopeful yet devastated that Lee smiled and put a hand on his head, petting the blond hair.

"Yes, my little sun. Me, and nine. There is a reason why I call you all my kittens." He said with a soft smile.

"...You said..." Sasuke suddenly began and he looked a little pale, "You said...alone. They grow up alone or..." he paused then skipped over the words he didn't want to say, "What happened to you?"

"Hm? Ah...now that is not a proper story. I think I will leave that for a...different day." Lee said

"B-but...Lee..." Sakura whispered.

They'd spent so long with Lee that this new information didn't change their look on him. At least, not the demon holder bit but...did they really grow up that badly?

Naruto bit his lip and looked at his teammates. Then he looked at Lee and his gentle smiling expression and suddenly, Naruto stood up straighter. He turned and faced the other two.

"I'm one too." He said, trying to hide how badly his hands were shaking, "I-I'm a Jinchuriki as well."

Naruto felt Lee hold his hand and Naruto gripped it like he was drowning. The two stared at him with wide eyes, silent, until Sasuke was the first one to break it with forced cockiness.

"Tch, even with that you're still the same dobe." He said, as if everything was normal.

"Oi! Careful, your arrogance is showing Sasuke- _kun_." Sakura said, sticking her tongue out even though she looked a little pale.

Naruto blinked in shock then seemed to take a big breath. He began laughing even as tears slipped from his eyes. Sakura stepped closer to Naruto and took his free hand with a bright smile.

"Come on. We're going to learn what element we are now. Isn't that cool!" Sakura said.

She was trying to act normal, just like Sasuke. Now they knew why the adults seemed to hate Naruto, why the kids acted that way to him as well, just following what the adults did. In the end, it didn't matter though. Even Lee's past didn't matter. They were Team Seven. They were _family_. They would guard each other as if their life depended on it.

Lee smiled at his three kittens and purred. He felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up at Kakashi.

"...You really did something great with this team." Kakashi said and Lee shook his head.

"Not just a team anymore. Family." He said then showed them the Chakra Paper again.

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Sakura's paper had grown wet then crumbled. She had two elements, Water and Earth.

Sasuke's had crinkled then caught fire, Lightning and Fire.

Naruto's had sliced in half, Wind. Of course, him being a Jinchuriki meant that he had enough chakra to learn any element with no real repercussions. It all went down to chakra, if it wasn't your main element then it took more chakra to cast the jutsu.

Lee took special time to explain that, adding that that was why he wanted to increase their chakra reserves. It was luck that had Sasuke and Sakura having two elements.

Then he looked at Kakashi and told him point blank that he didn't want Sasuke learning anything similar to the Chidori.

"Why? What's the Chidori?" Sasuke asked, lips turned down into a confused frown.

"The Chidori..." Kakashi rubbed the back of his head, "It's a move I created. An assassination move that...to put it bluntly, encases your hand in lightning chakra and allows you to pierce your opponent with that hand."

"Exactly, your _hand_." Lee said, crossing his arms and frowning, "I do not think it is pertinent for Sasuke to learn what it feels like to have his hand go _through_ someone. It is much better to learn lightning enough to conduct it through weapons as it gives you a speed boost and coupled with Sakura's water jutsu, it can create a lot of damage in a wide spread area."

Sasuke had grimace and his hands twitched when Lee said his hand would go through someone. It unsettled something deep within him when he thought of it like that. His fire jutsu was bad, but he had grown used to the smell of burning flesh -he was always far enough not to smell it completely though, thankfully.- and truthfully, he didn't like killing. He was willing, but he didn't like it. So when Lee gave the alternative for lightning, he felt _relieved_. Speed boost, enhanced weapons, and wide spread damage? He was okay with that.

"I have a few of each element that I can teach and so does Kakashi." Lee said.

"I can teach a few lightning and headhunter for earth. I think they should learn Genjutsu Hell viewing and Heaven viewing as well, and I can help Sasuke with the Sharingan." Kakashi offered

Lee nodded then looked at the three, "I'll take care of the rest. You three okay with that? Be warned, starting today, we will live and breathe training."

They all stood up straight and nodded determinedly

Half a month passed with them not even leaving the house. Two weeks of constant training, them doing it even while eating, keeping as many objects stuck to them at one time for more chakra training. The boys were getting really good at it, keeping at least half of their bodies covered but Sakura shined through on all things chakra control. It was perfect now from the months of constant training and she was covered head to toe.

Kakashi was able to teach Sasuke how to create and utilize lightning chakra to infuse with he weapons and he taught Sakura the headhunter jutsu that allowed her to travel underground and pull someone under up to their heads. As more training, she would practice it and try to pull Sasuke or Naruto down. It worked often during the first week until Sasuke and Naruto learned to sporatically send out chakra to feel who was nearby. It was harder after that.

The rate which Sakura learned her jutsu's was fast but she still had the lowest chakra reserves of them all and had to take soldier pills to keep up with them. Sasuke was only a little above average in his rate of learning and Naruto was...bad, but the blond made up for it in pure stubbornness and determination.

By two weeks, Sakura learned Earth style: Headhunter and Water style: SharpShooter which allowed her to blow large amounts of water out of her mouth in a more concentrated burst that could pierce a tree let alone a body. If she used less concentrated chakra, she could widen it and coat the ground and that meshed nicely with Sasuke's lightning step. All he had to do was send lightning through and it would electrocute all who stood in Sakura's chakra charged water.

Sasuke learned to utilize his lightning and became as fast as Lee without his weights as long as he had the chakra to keep it up. He could also charge his weapons, including his long range one so they would keep the lightning shock when he released them. It would paralyze his opponents for a short or long while depending on how much chakra he used.

Naruto learned how to do Wind Style: Wind Bullets that allowed him to shoot air from his mouth in rapid succession like bullets. If he put in more chakra to create bigger bullets it meshed nicely with Sasuke's fireball, creating something similar to Sasuke's Fire Style: Phoenix Flower jutsu but more powerful. As an extra, outside of the exams, Lee taught all of them how to flare their chakra without actually losing any.

He wanted them to be able to contact him if they were in trouble and well, Lee was almost embarrassingly in tune with how their chakra felt.

Lee was feeling pretty proud of his kittens. He called a day off so they could relax as a reward, and so he could go out and try to find a scroll with wind jutsu. Lee didn't know too many and felt that Naruto needed more than just three.

A few hours in the library didn't exactly give him any new wind jutsu -he saw one with smoke and tucked that one away for later though.- but he did see something that could help Sakura with her chakra reserves. Like creating a pocket to store chakra in while she wasn't using it. One would need great chakra control to create it and that sounded perfect for her.

His little kittens were becoming a powerhouse of a team~

Lee purred to himself as he stepped out of the building then yelped as he was suddenly yanked into the air and to the side. It took him a second to recognize _sand_ and Lee sighed, relaxing. He turned his head and looked at Gaara, his heart fluttering as he sharply remembered the last time they'd been together.

That _kiss_...

Lee blushed softly and his breath caught as Gaara pulled him closer with his sand.

"You're avoiding me..." Gaara suddenly growled and Lee's eyes widened.

"No!" Lee denied immediately, "In have been training with my kittens since the preliminaries. This is the first day that I called a break!"

Gaara stared then his sand slowly brought Lee closer and Lee felt his heart skip in his chest. His cheeks began burning as he felt Gaara's breath rush over his lips.

"Then you'll be coming with me." Gaara said and sand suddenly covered them.

Lee had just enough time to close his eyes and hold his breath before they were somewhere else. Lee opened his eyes when it was safe and began to look around but his chin was gripped and there was pressure on his lips. Lee's eyes widened again as Gaara kissed him _hard_ , he felt his lips beginning to bruise already but gasped as Gaara's tongue pressed against them.

That strange sound came up again and Lee moaned into the kiss, his hands shakily grabbing onto Gaara's shirt. Gaara gripped him and pulled him closer as their kissing was almost feral. Gaara's tongue felt like it was claiming him and Lee pressed back, claiming as well. Lee barely felt the wall against his back as he wrapped his arms around Gaara's shoulders.

The same heat from before was beginning to pool in his stomach but he was a little less scared of it now.

They pulled away when the urge to breath became too much and both of their breathing was quick. Lee began giggling, slowly rubbing Gaara's back then trailing his hands up into Gaara's hair. The sensation made Gaara shiver.

"T-that was nice..." Lee whispered

Gaara's eyes darkened and he lunged forward, kissing Lee intently again. The noise that left Lee made him growl and shiver. The urge to bite grew within him again and he moved his mouth to Lee's neck.

Lee gasped then mewled, his legs slightly shaking at the feeling. He wanted to bare his neck to Gaara but sense sharply returned as he felt teeth against his neck. His heart skipped in anticipation and want but he pulled back anyway.

"No-" Lee said and Gaara growled dangerously, dark eyes snapping up from near his neck. Lee swallowed and something inside him shivered. This, he knew Gaara wanted to give him the mating bite but...

He wanted his Angel to do that first.

It was his selfish wish, but not only that he...

"You have to be sure." Lee said

" **Mine**." Gaara growled into Lee's neck.

Lee shivered and cupped Gaara's face, pulling him up and kissing him. He kissed and kissed until Gaara responded and tried to take over. Lee pulled back then took control of the kiss again, making it slow and long. He felt Gaara's fingers dig into his hips and purred softly.

"No regrets." Lee whispered, panting softly, "We must be sure Gaara, because it cannot be taken back. I don't want to give the bite and have it be rejected or worse, you later regret me so soon."

"You will be mine. There is no regret in that." Gaara said and Lee smiled fondly.

"How about this then, after the exams. I do not want to fight against my mate." Lee said

Gaara stared, a low rumble coming from his chest. Finally, he nodded, "I concede. After the exams, I will come for you. I will not take no as an answer."

"I will not reject you." Lee said


	22. Chapter 22

Lee left what he later found out was Gaara's room in the Inn his team was staying in after a couple hours of continuous kissing -and some light touching that made Lee's face burn-. He touched his lips as he walked back through Konoha's streets.

He smiled.

It had felt like every kiss was Gaara trying to convince him to allow the bite then and there. He didn't really understand why Gaara felt the urge so keenly.

' **You must have done or said his trigger.** ' Mother said in his head and Lee paused for a moment in confusion before continuing his aimless walking.

' _ **Trigger? What do you mean, Mother?**_ '

' **When we find a mate, it is usually brought on by different things. The trigger said by the right person can make it so you feel an overwhelming urge to bite them, no matter what. Gaara has vast control thanks to Shukaku's torment though. That is most likely why he had conceeded to wait.** '

' _ **The urge is truly that strong?**_ ' Lee asked, feeling vaguely doubtful.

He frowned softly, now feeling just a bit guilty if it was really true.

Lee sighed and looked around to see that he was actually near the Nara household. He blinked in surprise then felt bad again. He hadn't seen Shikamaru since the preliminary rounds. Maybe...

Lee walked up to the door and knocked.

Shikaku answered.

"Lee..." He said then huffed a chuckle, "Huh, I don't know if I expected you sooner or later."

Lee felt his cheeks turn pink and slightly pouted. What was that supposed to mean?

"...How is Shikamaru?" Lee asked.

"Just Shikamaru now?"

"Shi-san!" Lee bit out, his cheeks turning a little darker and Shikaku laughed.

"He's _training_." Shikaku said, "Whatever happened in that Forest..." which Shikaku of course knew, "He's been training non-stop ever since he got home...even in medicine."

Lee's brows furrowed in confusion and he subconsciously began turning to where he felt Shikamaru's chakra. He heard Shikaku chuckle again then saw him turn to the side, opening a way for him to slip past easier.

"Go on. He should be taking a break anyway." Shikaku said and Lee moved before he could even think about it.

Lee barely got his shoes off in time before he quickly made his way to the back. He'd been in the Nara's home often enough that he didn't get lost -wouldn't have even without Shikamaru's chakra guiding him.-. When he got to the back, his cheeks flared pink again as he saw Shikamaru in the clearing, shirtless with his skin shining with sweat.

Lee swallowed a little roughly, then, as if knowing, Shikamaru turned and met Lee's eyes.

Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly then visibly softened. He stood from his crouched position and walked over to Lee without wasting another moment.

Lee felt his heart start to beat quicker and had to look away.

"Lee..." Shikamaru said and his voice was so soft saying his name that Lee's heart skipped.

How did Shikamaru do this to him so easily?!

"Why?" Lee questioned instead, trying to choose a safer path, considering Shikaku was still near, hidden by the door, "Why are you... Did you not say you wanted to be average?"

Shikamaru looked at the area that he was training in then huffed a chuckle and smiled crookedly, "Well...might as well say it now. What a drag..." he said, but for some reason unknown to Lee, Shikamaru's cheeks were beginning to redden.

"Lee..." Shikamaru paused and his cheeks got redder as he rubbed the back of his head and sighed hard. Then, he looked Lee straight in the eyes and confidently said, "I plan to marry you in the future, and to do that, I need to get stronger."

Lee's breath caught and Shikamaru smirked crookedly

"How else am I supposed to protect you?" Shikamaru finished and-

Lee felt his heart skip and his lungs squeeze. His eyes flashed demonic then stayed that way, making him stare down at Shikamaru with cat eyes. He never registered what he was doing, didn't realize that he'd jumped from the wooden flooring of the patio and tackled Shikamaru to the ground.

Couldn't think past the constant chant of ' _Claim, mark, mate,_ _mine_ _!_ ' and the overwhelming urge to _bite_.

His lips were on Shikamaru's neck, mouth open and teeth aching to sink into flesh.

Then he was being yanked away and Lee yowled, hissing and scratching at the one who was trying to keep him away from the one he had chosen. He twisted his body around almost impossibly and his dagger-like claws were inches away from Shikaku's face when Lee froze.

' _Man, mate's father, savior, debt. Never harm._ ' Thoughts ran through Lee's head as he stared Shikaku in the eye. His body still being held almost painfully tight against the older man, everything pinned except for his one hand.

Lee suddenly shuddered and closed his eyes.

"You good now...?" Shikaku's voice slowly wormed its way into Lee's head and Lee barely nodded.

"I-...I am sorry. I did not...I did not know it would be that strong." Lee whispered, feeling slightly ashamed, "I will stay away now, I promise..."

"Hey, no need to go that far. Just explain to me what happened."

Lee felt his cheeks flush with embarrassment and some humiliation, "I...I am sorry. He found my trigger, it-...it made me want to claim him, put my mark so no one else would try to take him away. I wanted-...want to mate him."

Lee closed his eyes tightly.

Oh Kami, how cruel. He knew kami hated him but to do this, to make him reveal himself in such a way. Now...now Shikamaru would never want to be near him.

To Lee's horror, he felt his eyes burn with _tears_.

"And what's your thought on that Shikamaru?" Shikaku asked and Lee tensed in Shikaku still tight grip.

Fight or flight kicked in and he chose the latter without a second thought. Lee immediately tried to get out of Shikaku's grip and run away. Shikaku grunted and had to pull some tricky maneuvers to get Lee to stay where he was. This was something Lee needed to hear!

Shikamaru stared from his position on the ground. He'd only sat up when Lee's weight had been removed and though he hadn't exactly known what was going to happen, he hadn't been against it at all. Now, listening to Lee and his father, he knew there was more to the story.

"Does this relate to what you wanted to tell me after the exams?" Shikamaru asked first and Lee flinched.

Lee drooped in Shikaku's arms and he slowly nodded.

"And...mate, what do you mean by that?" Shikamaru continued his questioning.

Lee blushed hotly and tried to hide. He felt like a fish out of water, still trying to get his brain on the right track after being taken over by instinct.

"...I would have taken you as my husband." Lee whispered

"A bit sooner than I expected." Shikamaru hummed then stood up, "So how does it work?"

Lee blinked then stared at Shikamaru in shock. What-? Why-? How was Shikamaru acting like this?! Like it's nothing! Shikamaru should be spurning him, or-or shouting! Or something! Not this!

Lee didn't even notice Shikaku finally setting him down then moving away.

"D-Do you not get it?!" Lee bit out, fear and confusion making a deadly combination inside him, "Mating is not something humans do! It's animal! You saw me in the forest, you saw me here! Surely you have some idea now about what sort of _thing_ I am."

Shikamaru shrugged, looking un-phased though what happened after still gave him nightmares. Seeing Lee there, bleeding out... but that wasn't what Lee was talking about and Shikamaru didn't want to linger on it.

"I was waiting for you to tell me instead." He said.

Lee jerked then hissed. He strode right up to Shikamaru, chakra flaring demonically, "I am a _monster_. A demons' vessel, a jinchuriki."

Lee himself was the monster, not because of what he held within him but of what he _was_.

Shikamaru stared at Lee's narrow and burning eyes for a moment then sighed, "Yep, still scary." he said before leaning down and pecking Lee's lips, "Seriously, I'd never want to face you in a battle, ever. I'd get my ass handed back to me. What a drag..."

Lee froze and just stared. His brain just had white noise in it...or...that was Mother laughing. Yes, it was mother laughing. Lee made a frustrated sound and he waved his hands around in incredulous anger. He'd never been so animated before.

"What are- Are you just accepting this?!" Lee asked, his voice strained

"I told you that I was going to marry you." Shikamaru said with a shrug and a small smirk.

Infuriatingly, Lee felt his heart skip and he tried to smother the reaction, "What if I told you that you would not be my only mate. That I had more than just you as my chosen."

Shikamaru couldn't accept that, he was an heir to the Nara line. That was no place for someone like Lee, a demons' vessel. He was better off with someone... _better_ , no matter how much it made Lee want to scream and rage and destroy.

"..." Shikamaru was silent for a long moment as he stared at Lee. He suddenly lifted his hand and tilted Lee's head up. He made his decision. Shikamaru kissed Lee deeply, slowly licking Lee's lip and coaxing Lee into kissing him back. The kiss spanned the minutes until they had to pull back to breathe. Shikamaru smirked at the dazed blush on Lee's cheeks and said, "You're worth it."

Lee blinked then, horrifyingly, he began to cry. Tears dripped from his eyes and his body shook from hearing words that had never been spoken to him before.

" _How else am I going to protect you?_ " and " _You're worth it_." things Shikamaru said that Lee never knew he needed to hear so badly.

Lee pressed his hand to his mouth tightly, trying to stop his sobs. He ducked his head to hide his tears but Shikamaru pulled him against his chest instead. His body trembled in Shikamaru's surprisingly strong arms and Lee just...fell into them. He cried into Shikamaru's chest, the first time in so... _so many_ years.

"S-S-Shika..." Lee choked out and Shikamaru hummed in response, his nose tickling Lee's neck.

"...I love you." Shikamaru whispered right into Lee's ear, voice rough with emotion.

It was intimate, it was heart pounding.

It made Lee cry harder.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

He hadn't said 'I love you' back, couldn't make his lips form them like he had with his kittens. It felt so different and Lee felt _scared_. Yet, somehow, Shikamaru knew, and he only told Lee that he could wait, that he wasn't going anywhere.

How much could that boy make him feel? It was like he was drowning in the best way.

Shikamaru had pulled him down to the ground and they just cuddled for an hour, staring up at the sky the entire time. They didn't really talk, just...held onto each other.

Lee had liked that better than anything.

He was reluctant to leave but knew he had to get back to his kittens. So he got up and kissed Shikamaru with all the emotion that he felt yet couldn't name or speak of. He almost stayed because when Shikamaru kissed him back, it was like he could taste how Shikamaru felt about him.

But Lee made himself pull away and whispered a soft goodbye.

Shikamaru took his arm, halting him, and asked him to come again. To visit and talk. Shikamaru told Lee that he didn't want to not see Lee again for another two weeks.

How could Lee ever deny that?

So Lee promised to come by and walked home. He hummed softly to himself and opened his front door only to hear Naruto talking about...a pervert? to Sasuke and Sakura. Lee frowned.

"Naru?" Lee questioned

"Kaa-chan! You wouldn't believe what I saw!" Naruto said, whipping around

"He was telling us about an old pervert who was peeping in on the girl's hot springs." Sakura said, her nose scrunching.

"Disgusting." Sasuke muttered, scowling.

Lee frowned again and looked at Naruto in question who was nodding, "Yeah! He said his name was Jiraiya."

"Jiraiya?" Lee repeated, his eyes widening from their usual lidded appearance, "Did he have long white hair, markings going down his cheeks, and a headband with horns on it?"

"Yeah! You know that guy?" Naruto scrunched his nose this time, not really liking that his 'Kaa-chan' knew the pervert. Did that mean the guy spied on Lee? He'd kill him!

"Jiraiya is the legendary Toad Sage, one of the three Sanin. He was trained by the current Hokage along with Tsunade the Slug Princess and Orochimaru user of the Snake summons. Orochimaru is the one who we ran into in the Forest of Death."

The three genin's eyes widened and suddenly Sakura was pulling Naruto back behind her along with Sasuke as if the man could suddenly walk in. The boys looked at her confused and only slightly surprised before she started asking,

"Do you...do you think he's working with Orochimaru?"

Lee immediately tensed and a dark aura surrounded him, "If he is then he is not long for this world." he hissed then he jolted slightly as he realized what he'd just done. But instead of his three kittens looking scared or nervous, they were smiling.

"That's Kaa-chan for you." Sakura said

"Yeah, no one touches us with him around!" Naruto grinned

"Over protective." Sasuke mumbled but his eyes were light with happiness.

Lee's heart skipped then he felt _warmth_ fill him. He bit his lip as he began to _smile_.

"Silly kittens..." He murmured and gave them all their special kisses, "Stay close and protect each other. I am going to find Jiraiya and see where his loyalties lie."

"Of course." All three of them said and Lee's smile grew.

Then he was off to find the Toad Sage, Jiraiya.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee hopped from roof to roof, his feet making no sound on the tiles. There were predetermined paths meant for Genin but when able to jump quietly, ninja were always using any route. Lee headed for the baths first, figuring that he could start from there -and he _hoped_ that maybe Naruto was wrong and Jiraiya wasn't peeping.-. Only, when he got there, he could feel the Sage's muted chakra.

He bristled with indignation and immediately hopped down behind the man as he _giggled_ while _staring_ at the nude or scantily clad women. Lee's anger grew into hatred as the sight reminded him of his own past.

One of the Elders had a son who was twenty-nine. Lee had only been _seven_.

Matatabi hissed and snarled in his head, her anger adding to Lee's own. She knew, she'd been there. She was the only reason why he'd gotten away from that man.

" _Disgusting_." Lee spat and Jiraiya whipped around, his expression battle ready until he saw that it was a 'kid'.

"What the? What did you say? When did you get here?" Jiraiya asked, turning his expression into something a tad goofy, "Oh~ Don't tell me, you want an autograph?"

The act only infuriated Lee. Jiraiya was supposed to be someone _good_. The last useful of the Sannin as Orochimaru went rouge and Tsunade was a drunk gambler with a fear of blood. Only, here was the Sannin, gazing upon others while they were _vulnerable_. It made him want to... It made him...

"It makes me sick." Lee spat more to himself then _glared_ at the man, "How _dare_ you." he hissed, "Have you no _shame_? Gazing upon women while they are vulnerable... You are _sick_. Will you turn your eyes to _children_ next?" Then he remembered something that made his stomach turn. Sakura... "My bunny likes to bathe here...to think she could have been..." Lee began to growl.

"H-Hey! I might be a super pervert but I'd never look at children!" Jiraiya immediately said, the thought making him sick.

Lee didn't believe him. He had too many run-ins with lying _adults_.

"Your word means _nothing_ to me, Sage of Toads." Lee said, he walked towards Jiraiya like a predator and continued, "The reason I am here is to make one thing clear. If you work with Orochimaru, I will kill you."

Jiraiya's eyes widened then went hard but Lee wasn't done.

"If you try to get near my little ones, _my_ Naruto, Sakura, or Sasuke, I will kill you. In fact, if you try to get near _any_ of the rookie nine _or_ team Gai, I will kill you."

Jiraiya stared at him with eyes like steel, taking in everything Lee didn't bother to hide. Then his eyes snapped to Lee's face and he said, "Just who are you, to make those threats on me?"

"You are not worthy of my name." Lee said, somehow looking down on Jiraiya, "Just know that if you lay a hand on anyone I consider _mine_...I will not stop until you are _dead_."

"I don't touch anyone without their permission first." Jiraiya said, frowning.

Lee narrowed his eyes, staring at Jiraiya intensely. Then he nodded, "I will be watching Toad Sage."

Lee turned to leave but paused as the older man bid him to wait.

"...You look very familiar." Jiraiya said, "Do you have a sister?"

Lee turned freezing eyes onto Jiraiya then hissed, " _No_."

Wasting no more time, Lee sped away, jumping onto a roof and running back home.

He needed his kittens.

He didn't want to remember the past anymore...


	23. Chapter 23

Lee had done a group cuddle as soon as he'd gotten back home. He hadn't said a word as to why but his precious kittens had somehow understood and never put up a fuss -even if they didn't understand, they still wouldn't fuss, they liked how Lee treated them.-. After their break day, Lee and Kakashi began training them again but Lee declared that they would train for half the day then take a three hour break before training again.

Lee used that time to visit Shikamaru every day.

And every day, at certain times, he felt Gaara's eyes on him but the demon holder did nothing until night came. When the moon shown in the sky, that was when Gaara would slip into his room. The first night, he'd simply stood in the corner of the room, watching. At least, until Lee got tired of it and brought Gaara to his bed. From then on, Gaara would come in, set down his gourd, then sit on his bed with his back against the headboard. Lee would shamelessly use Gaara's leg as a pillow.

One night, Gaara confessed to Lee that he murdered Dosu. When Lee asked why, Gaara shamelessly said it was the night they agreed to hold off the bite until the end of the exams.

"Shukaku is stronger on the night where the moon is full..." Gaara said, and his hand slowly touched Lee's neck. His eyes were intense, staring at the spot where he would bite and claim Lee, "And though Shukaku follows the rules of mating, we were angry. The sound ninja tried to pick a fight and he went down with a scream."

Lee watched Gaara's lips stretch and form an insane smile. The sight made something tickle his stomach pleasantly. He liked it. He reached up and touched Gaara's lips, making the boy's gaze focus on him.

"Such a lovely smile..." Lee said with a smile of his own, his eyes flickering with pleasure. He giggled then nuzzled where he laid his head.

He opened one eye to stare back at Gaara and his smile grew into a grin.

"I feel I should thank you, Gaara, for killing that man." Lee said

"Why?" Gaara questioned, just to hear Lee continue in that same tone of voice that he found fascinating.

"Oto, Suna, Kiri, and more..." Lee mumbled, "They are all in my Konoha and I do not like it. If it were not because of the Exam's, I would have already began killing them off."

A low rumble began in Gaara's chest, and like he was in a trance, he lifted his hand and stroked the area he would bite when the exam was over, "Why...?" he questioned again.

"Simple. This village is mine." Lee said, slightly tilting his head, allowing Gaara to touch, "Konoha...Konoha has given me something that I never thought I could have..."

"...What?"

Lee let out a soft laugh, "Oh so many things... People that I have claimed as family. Potentials that I can actually see myself having a future with. Konoha allowed me to meet you too...but mostly...it has become a place were I feel _safe_."

Gaara's hand pressed a little harder against the side of Lee's neck but it was a pleasant feeling and made Lee close his eyes, " _Safe_?" Gaara repeated, still staring.

Lee opened his eyes again and stared straight at Gaara, "Mmm," he made a sound of approval, " _Safe_. I have never felt such a feeling before...a place where I can... _relax_. Is that not strange? Maybe you understand though..."

Lee hummed in thought and stared a little longer before confessing,

"You know what I am and I know what you are. It allows us to _know_ each other but we do not actually know each other. We are demon holders but we might or might not have grown up the same." Lee reached up and cupped Gaara's neck, his thumbs stroking Gaara's jaw-line, "Imagine, a cell only large enough for five steps in either direction. Staying there day after day until _they_ decide to use you. Mission after mission, each one designed to kill you if you so much as make _one_ mistake. The smell of blood so thick and _sickening_ that even after you wash, _it is still there_. No one speaks to you and if they do it is only because they plan to _use_ you again. This is the life you know...and it is agony because you once knew what care was. You knew how it felt to be wrapped in warmth, to hear the words of someone who truly loved you. Like a distant dream, you used to remember how it felt to laugh, to love, to be _happy_...but as every day passes, that memory grows distant until it is so vague, you would have thought that you dreamt it if not for the voice in your head that you now call mother."

Gaara had stopped moving, his breathing quiet but ragged as he listened to Lee's _story_. Slowly, he cupped Lee's face as well and bent closer to the boy, voice rough as he said, "You see it in their eyes, in every movement, hatred and fear. You are nothing more than a monster to them."

Something flashed in Lee's eyes and he continued, moving at the same time so they were face to face "You do your best for them but still they try to kill you."

"Over and over again. If this is what they want then let me bathe in the violence."

"I will use it to prove that I am still _alive_. There is nothing else for me to care about."

"They tore any other care away by revealing their lies."

"They tore every part of you until all you know is hate and death."

Gaara's hands tightened on Lee's face and he leaned forward now as Lee was kneeling in front of him, "You're like _me_."

"Loneliness, emptiness, sorrow until hate consumes it all... _Gaara..._ " Lee whispered

Then Gaara's eyes narrowed in frustration, "But _how_ , you have _people_ now. You claim to love and be _in_ love. You show me such things every day! _How_!"

"I met someone." Lee answered with a warm smile, "Someone I call my Fallen Angel. I thought he was a demon of the Underworld, sent to bring me to hell because I was dying. I made the fatal mistake but...he cared for me instead. He showed me what I lost. He gave me a warmth I was so desperate to have then he promised me that we would meet again. It was because of him that I allowed myself to be taken to Konoha."

Gaara was staring again so Lee continued.

"A scratch through it or not, he had the leaf symbol on his headband. Years later, I met more Konoha shinobi and they were _kind_. Hatake Kakashi and Nara Shikaku found me and though I was covered in blood and gore, they took me back and told me that everything would be okay."

Lee stroked Gaara's face then leaned forward, enough to press their foreheads together, "I lived in Konoha for two years. I was not an outcast anymore, I was not hated, and I was not sent to my death anymore. The Hokage was- _is_ kind and it took me so long to understand that it was not faked. Then I met another that is cursed and gifted like us."

"Another?"

"Naruto is one of us as well. An outcast and shunned but he is so _different_. I met him and we became... _friends_. With him, I met the others and I _learned_ , Gaara...I learned how to feel something other than _hate_ and _disgust_ again." Lee smiled then his pushed his hands into Gaara's hair and gently pulled the demon holder against him, hugging him, "And I will show you all that I have learned, because happiness is such a wonderful feeling, Gaara. Happiness, laughter, _love_. You deserve it, all of us do."

Lee cradled Gaara against him, hugging him and even pulling the blankets over them so Gaara would be encircled in warmth. The red head shook in his arms and Lee's smile softened. Love warmed his heart and though he still could not utter those romantic words, he whispered them in his heart and soul, hoping that Gaara could feel them as he did.

' _I love you..._ '

.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.

The rest of the month passed in what Lee dared to call happiness and almost before he knew it, it was the day of the final exams. Lee got his kittens up and fed them with plenty time to spare. He made sure that they had all their weapons and said,

"Now, do you remember what I taught you?" Lee asked, looking at all three of them.

"Be showy yet smart. This is a test to see if we can become Chunin and going all out actually makes it seem like we aren't ready." Naruto said

"Give it our good but not our best. Keep our best as a trump card as everyone can be an enemy one day." Sasuke added

"Treat this as a sparing session, but if we feel like our life is on the line then make them fear us. Our lives are worth more than a test." Sakura finished

"Wonderful~" Lee purred and gave them all a kiss.

There was a chuckle and they all turned to see Kakashi coming down stairs. Lee raised an eyebrow as he knew that Kakashi hadn't even been up there in the first place. Kakashi's eye crinkled with a smile and he said,

"Look at our kittens-" He paused for a split second and his ears tinted red at what he just said but he continued on, barely missing a beat, "All grown up, it makes me so proud!" he wiped away an imaginary tear.

Lee raised his eyebrow higher but there was amusement in his eyes, "Yes...our kittens are special are they not?"

The revealed parts of Kakashi's face colored red and he glanced away, chuckling but continued to play along, "They are, I think there is a very good chance that they'll become Chunin."

"What about Kaa-chan?" Naruto asked, putting his hands behind his head, "He'll become Chunin too right?"

"Of that I have no doubt." Kakashi said, patting Naruto's head.

"Okay, that is enough." Lee said with a slight chuckle, "Let us get going. Better to be early than late." he shot a little look at Kakashi who laughed.

"Maa, Maa." Kakashi said, eye crinkling with a smile, "There are a lot of old ladies to help."

"Sure." Lee said with a smile then ushered the Genin of Team Seven out the door.

They got to the arena quickly, Kakashi separating from them to go to the stands after saying a quick good luck. The went to the waiting area to see that the Sand siblings and Neji were the only ones there so far.

"Good morning Gaara, Neji." Lee said, smiling

Neji looked at Lee from where he was leaning against the railing and he opened his mouth but it was Gaara who spoke first.

Gaara had turned and stared at Lee, "Lee..." He said, just barely stepping forward when the doors opened and another voice came.

"Lee," Shikamaru said, voice giving away his happiness, "I knew you'd be here already."

"Shika!" Lee _chirped_ then his face went red at how excited he sounded. Shikamaru's chuckle didn't help but it did make him want to smile.

Sakura giggled and nudged Lee, making his blush worse. He pouted at the girl but she only grinned. Then, Lee rolled his eyes with a smile and took the few steps it would to reach Shikamaru's side.

"Good morning Shika..." Lee said before lightly kissing the corner of Shikamaru's lips. This time it's Shikamaru that blushes but that doesn't stop him from smiling crookedly as he turns his head and gives the same type of kiss back to Lee.

Then there was a low growl and sand _ripped_ Lee away from Shikamaru.

Lee gasped as his back hit something hard and arms replaced sand. He looked back to see Gaara _glaring_ at Shikamaru. Lee's lips turned down into a frown even as he heard Naruto shout.

' **Odd...oh!** '

' _ **What is it mother?**_ '

' **I think I know why Gaara is being so territorial.** ' She paused for a moment then continued, ' **It is because you do not carry his bite. He must view it as Shikamaru is trying and succeeding in taking you away.** '

Lee's frown softened and he slowly turned in Gaara's arms, putting his hand on Gaara's cheek. The growling stopped and Gaara focused his gaze on Lee instead.

"Gaara..." Lee said, "You must not be so uncertain. I gave you a promise did I not?"

"..." Gaara said nothing but Lee could see the darkness in the demon holders eyes. He could feel it in the way his fingers dug into his hips.

Lee sighed and wrapped his arms around Gaara's shoulders, pressing his cheek to Gaara's even as his eyes went to Shikamaru. He locked gazes with Shikamaru as he said,

"He said my trigger, Gaara...just as I said yours. Remember...'mate'? That word, you instinctively know what it means. Safety, home, affection, _love_...so many things that you _want_ no matter how much you deny...but do not worry. I want the same."

They had spoken of it on that night. Those things that others take for granted that they were denied. He hoped that Gaara would remember the promise he gave, that he would show Gaara just the same. If Gaara decided that he wasn't enough or decided that sharing wasn't something he could do...

Well, if forced, Lee knew he wouldn't be choosing Gaara in the end.

Shikamaru's eyes widened slightly and he took a step forward but then paused. He took a breath to calm himself and forced himself to stay where he was. So many questions had been answered with Lee's words. Trigger, Gaara had one too and that meant he was the same as Lee. It also meant that he was also a potential. He hadn't said Lee's trigger but Lee had found his. Shikamaru couldn't help but to feel a little pleased at the fact that he'd found Lee's first. It made him want to go over and pull Lee away from Gaara and just hold him.

Shikamaru could promise all of that to Lee. He would make a home for them all, he could shower love and affection onto Lee with no thought of embarrassment. Safety...of course he would do everything he could to protect Lee. That was obvious, there was no other option in Shikamaru's mind.

And If Gaara couldn't do the same then it didn't matter if the boy was the same as Lee. Shikamaru would do everything he could to keep him away.

"What is your trigger." Gaara suddenly asked -demanded-, his voice rough.

"That is something you must figure out for yourself. It means _nothing_ if I am the one to tell you." Lee said, pulling his gaze away from Shikamaru as he slowly pulled away from Gaara. He ran his fingers through Gaara's hair then cupped his face.

"Now, I do not fault you for your reaction. I am quite a hypocrite in this situation. If you were to show affection to another then I am afraid that they would not be long for this world." Lee said, his lips forming a _smile_.

Instead of anger, irritation or any emotion that would show Lee how much he disliked Lee's hypocrisy. Gaara's eyes dilated and he _grinned_.

"I want to see you covered in blood." Gaara rasped, "He agrees..." Gaara's fingers dug into Lee's hips again and he had a vision of Lee wearing the blood of everyone around them, offering nourishment for his sand. The vision made him shudder as that familiar yet unfamiliar feeling of heat crawled through his veins. The same feeling that made him kiss Lee, the same that made him want to _bite_.

Lee giggled, "You do have the most delightful ideas..."

" _Lee_." Neji's voice came as a low growl, reminding Lee that the boy was there, " _What do you think you are doing?_ "

Lee felt his body trying to tense at the angry tone and slowly looked at Neji with a forced bored look, "You are the one with all seeing eyes, Neji. What do you think I am doing?"

Neji grit his teeth, wanting to shout at Lee. Lee should know his place! His spot in fates design, and that spot was beside him, not-!

Neji's hands clenched into fists and his knuckles turned white.

"Is there something you wish to say, _Neji_?" Lee asked, slowly tilting his head. His voice held a warning that Neji ignored.

"You are trying to run from destiny." Neji said and with that, he took the few steps up to Lee and gripped Lee's arm, "Now-"

Sand rushed up and burdened Neji's body, ripping him away just as Shikamaru pulled Lee away and kept himself in front of the Nibi holder.

"What the hell are you doing to Kaa-chan!?" Naruto shouted, expression twisted into anger.

"And what is this Destiny bullshit. If you're trying to force Lee into something..." Sasuke let his words trail off, his voice dark.

"He better not be!" Sakura joined in the shout, cracking her knuckles on habit. One she got to loosen the tension in her hands to punch better or make her fingers just a bit faster for weapons.

"Everyone should stop, because we are being called down to present ourselves to the audience." Shino's voice came, making everyone look to him.

' _ **When did...?**_ '

' **Just a moment ago when...Neji grabbed your arm.** ' Mother spoke in his head, her tone displeased.

Lee mentally sighed. Why did today feel like it wasn't going to be a good day? Already, too much drama had happened for his tastes and Lee felt like it was not even close to finished.

It was Sasuke that pulled Lee out of his thoughts by grabbing his wrist.

"Come on." Sasuke mumbled and Lee felt like smiling.

Such a cute little boy. Always hiding behind that surly mask. Too bad for him, all of Team Seven knew what he was really feeling now.

"Yes, yes, let us all go then, and put this unpleasantness behind ourselves." Lee glanced at Neji whom he could tell was subtly fuming.

They all got down to the middle of the arena and there was a different man as the proctor this time. A Jonin named Genma.

Genma said that as Dosu was not here, he was disqualified and the new line-up would be:

Naruto vs Neji

Shikamaru vs Temari

Sakura vs Kankuro

Gaara vs Lee

and Sasuke vs Shino.

Naruto and Neji were required to stay for their battle as Lee and the others went back up to the waiting area. Just as Lee passed Naruto, he hear his kitten say,

"I'm going to teach him a lesson Kaa-chan."

Lee blinked in surprise and placed his hand on Naruto's hair with a smile, "Just remember, play it smart."

"Got it!" Naruto said with a grin and Lee left to wait with the others.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee watched the battle between Naruto and Neji, proud of how Naruto quickly and efficiently laid out traps as he fought. The battle was a good length, made slightly longer with Neji speaking of fate to Naruto but his kitten shot fate down. It made Lee smile fondly.

Of course his kitten won in the end. Lee expected nothing else.

It was just adorable how Sakura jumped around, doing everything she could to not shout encouragements. Her fist punched the air the moment Naruto won and she shouted out 'Cha! Hell yeah!' excitedly.

Even Sasuke smirked as if he knew Naruto would win.

His kittens...too cute.

"You taught them well." Shikamaru mumbled from Lee said, leaning against the rails.

Lee hummed and looked at Shikamaru with a raised eyebrow as he smiled.

"I know it was you. It's obvious." Shikamaru said, answering Lee's subtle question. He yawned then nudged Lee with his shoulder before just staying there with their shoulders pressing together, "Scary, cute, smart, and good at teaching. How troublesome..."

"How is that troublesome?" Lee asked, his heart beating a little faster as he pressed his shoulder against Shikamaru's as well.

"I know you've got more admirers than I care for. This is just going to add to the number." Shikamaru sighed.

Lee _giggled_ and it was a slightly shy sound that made Shikamaru's heart skip and his ears burn.

"Is that jealousy I hear, Shika?" Lee whispered as he slowly trailed his fingers down to Shikamaru's hand.

The burning in Shikamaru's ears traveled to his cheeks but he acted as if it wasn't there. His gaze followed Lee's fingers before he turned his and over and capture Lee's hand within his own.

"Maybe." He said, "But you're going to marry me so...it's not so bad."

Shikamaru wouldn't lie. He didn't want to share Lee but as he said before, Lee was worth it. Still, he knew the arrangement favored him the most. Lee wouldn't leave Konoha -at least, he hoped the boy wouldn't- and as long as Lee stayed in Konoha, it meant that Shikamaru had him the most. He'd get to spend day after day with Lee -baring missions of course- while any other had to purposely seek Lee out.

Yeah, Shikamaru liked that arrangement.

Lee blushed softly, the feeling of Shikamaru holding his hand causing an almost harsh fluttering in his stomach. He now knew what it meant. That feeling meant that he _liked_ Shikamaru and...it felt nice to know.

"Hey Kaa-chan! Shikamaru!" Naruto's voice came as he ran over, grinning at them both but primarily Lee, "What did ya think, Kaa-chan? I beat him real good didn't I?"

Lee laughed and nodded, "Yes, it was a very nice show of thought. I enjoyed your back-up plans with the traps. Traps really are your specialty Naru."

Naruto grinned wider and moved like he was trying to calm down his excitement but then Sakura tackled him from behind in a hug and all of that went out through the proverbial window.

"You did it Naruto! Cha! One down and three more to go, we're gonna win this!" Sakura said, jumping excitedly. Naruto joined her in the excitement and Sasuke rolled his eyes but stood near them. Sakura and Naruto got identical grins before jumping onto Sasuke, making him join in on the fun. The Uchiha's cheeks burned red with embarrassment but there was a flare of happiness in his eyes that had Lee smiling as he watched his kittens.

"Not too troublesome..." Shikamaru said as he watched as well, he half smile on his lips.

"That is putting it lightly." Lee said, teasing

Then they heard Genma calling down the next set of opponents, Shikamaru and Temari. Temari went down immediately with a grin on her face and Shikamaru simply sighed.

"Now that is a drag...I don't want to fight a girl." He said, leaning heavily against the railing. He squeezed Lee's hand lightly though and Lee had the feeling that it was more that Shikamaru didn't want to move from where he was.

Lee _smiled_ , his cheeks tinting pink again.

Shikamaru smiled crookedly as he gazed at Lee, the word 'cute' echoing in his mind. Then he had a feeling something was going to happen and let go of Lee's hand just in time to feel Naruto slap his back. The force had him scrambling to try and not fall over the railing but he immediately knew that it just wasn't going to happen.

He fell over.

Then something latched onto his hand and Shikamaru looked up to see Lee leaning over the railing, one hand on the metal while the other was gripping his hand.

Lee sighed and looked at Naruto who chuckled nervously and leaned over as well.

"Sorry Shikamaru..." Naruto mumbled sheepishly, looking a bit guilty.

Shikamaru sighed as well, "What a drag... I'm already out. Might as well." He shrugged and looked up at Lee before nodding.

Lee nodded back and said, "Do not get hurt." before letting go and watching Shikamaru land on his feet. Then Shikamaru looked back up at him and gave a lazy wave that had him smiling again.

Lee leaned against the railing once more, putting his elbow on the metal and his chin in his hand. The match started then Lee felt another presence beside him.

He waited, but instead of hearing Gaara speak, he felt a slight pressure against his opposite shoulder. Lee blinked in surprise then slowly slid his gaze from the fight to Gaara.

How...curious.


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Day early because I won't be on the computer tomorrow!

"This pressure..." Gaara began, "What makes it enjoyable?" his own gaze slide from the fight to Lee as well and he crossed his arms, his limb shifting against Lee's. It sent warmth into his skin as he could feel Lee's body heat sink into his arm.

Lee slowly tilted his head, making his braid fall over his shoulder, "You mean, how our shoulders are touching?"

At Gaara's short nod, Lee felt himself smile.

"Truthfully, I do not know." Lee answered, "When you think about it from an outsiders standpoint, it seems silly. How could physical contact make one feel so...warm?"

Lee paused then closed his eyes and shifted a little closer to Gaara, pressing their arms completely together before continuing, "But...when you close your eyes and just _feel_ , it becomes so much...more. The body heat sinking into your skin seems to travel further than just that area. I feel...comforted by your presence. Just like I do with Shikamaru and my kittens. It is such an odd thing to feel but I find myself liking it."

When Lee opened his eyes, he found Gaara staring at him intently.

Gaara let his eyes trail to where they were connected then closed his eyes. Lee's body heat...it threatened to sear into his skin even with their clothes blocking some of it. But it wasn't painful, it...made him want to take this heat and keep it locked away for himself.

He still wanted to lock _Lee_ away for himself. Even with what he learned that night. The urge was still there -incredibly so- but...he couldn't. He would not lock Lee away. No, maybe something else instead. A...house. A house for just the two of them. Windows so Lee would feel sunlight, but the house would be on the outskirts of the village so they wouldn't have to deal with worthless people.

Gaara opened his eyes and saw Lee staring at him with a _smile_. It made something jolt in his stomach and he couldn't tear his eyes away. Even when Lee looked away to watch the fight, he couldn't do the same. He stared and subconsciously began raising his hand. Slowly, like his limb was being controlled by someone who wasn't him, he watched as his fingertips touched the soft smile that still teased Lee's lips.

Those moonless night eyes trailed back to him and Gaara heard white noise in his ears.

 _"Gaara...?"_ He saw Lee's lips move to form his name, his fingertips feeling each movement.

He wanted to take Lee away.

Lee tilted his head as he stared into Gaara's darkened eyes. How...odd, it made his small smile slightly grow.

"Gaara...?" Lee muttered again, slowly forming each sound that made the name. He felt his lips brush against Gaara's fingers and his smile stretched a little wider even as his something in his stomach fluttered. Still, Gaara didn't answer and Lee stared a little longer before dragging his eyes away and watching Shikamaru once again.

The fingers left his lips and Lee was suddenly being made to turn to Gaara once again. He blinked and stared into Gaara's eyes once more.

"Gaa-"

"Come with me."

"...?" Lee's brows furrowed in confusion as he stared at Gaara, "...come with you?"

"Yes..." Gaara said, eyes still dark, "Back to Suna...come with me."

Lee blinked and surprise rushed through him. Was Gaara...was he really asking him to come with the boy... Was he asking for him to just visit or to...live in Suna?

More importantly, what made Gaara suddenly ask that?

"...To Suna..." Lee murmured, "The idea is...interesting. I admit, I would like to visit with the intention of not fulfilling a mission but if you are asking me to live there, I am afraid that I cannot."

Gaara's eyes narrowed but if it was in anger or just frustration, Lee didn't know.

"Why." The red head practically demanded an answer.

"I have told you before Gaara. Konoha has me. I owe a great deal to this village and as long as I owe that debt, I will stay to ensure I repay it. I told you all that it has given me." Lee said, voice quiet and soft. He turned his head, keeping his eyes on Gaara's as he gently kissed Gaara's palm, "And for that...I do feel sorry."

And the truth was, he kind of did. He felt sorry that he had to deny Gaara's request. Though, if he could, he would most likely just take those he cared for and find a place for them all to live. Away from Konoha, away from Suna, away from any major village. Somewhere quiet, where no one knew any of them.

That sounded...really nice.

Lee turned his head away and gazed at the battle bellow them, catching the end as Shikamaru had Temari locked in his shadow before suddenly forfeiting, saying that he didn't have enough chakra for more than one more move.

Only, Lee knew that Shikamaru was lying.

It made Lee smile only because, he knew that despite the forfeit Shikamaru would have ample reason to be promoted. As Genma announced Temari as the winner, Shikamaru looked up at him and Lee felt his lips turning up in a _bright_ smile. It was slightly embarrassing.

By the time Shikamaru got back to the waiting area where they all were, Genma was calling out the next battle pair. Kankuro and Sakura, only...

"I forfeit." Kankuro said, loud enough to be heard by the proctor.

"What?! Hell no!" Sakura shouted immediately, turning on Kankuro, "You get down there! I'm not going to be the only one not fighting!"

Kankuro's eyes widened then he looked somewhere between annoyed and amused.

"Too bad Pinky. I don't care for fighting a useless battle." He said and Sakura must have been spending too much time around Lee because she practically hissed like a pissed off cat at the boy. Before she could do much to -forcefully- change Kankuro's mind, Genma called her as the winner and announced the next battle contestants.

Lee and Gaara.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee stood across from Gaara on the field. Genma called for them to start but they didn't move just yet. It made him smile, a small amused quirk of his lips as he shifted. He wrapped his arms around his hips and tilted his head in silent question.

"Odd, is it not?" Lee said, "It would have been worse if we went the route you wished for."

Gaara continued to stare but slowly tilted his head down in acknowledgment.

Lee hummed softly then _giggled_ as he said, "Let us put on a show then!"

He shot forward and jumped high into the air as sand shot towards him. He grinned and looked down at Gaara to see the boy staring straight back at him, _grinning_ as well. It almost made him want to laugh. He twisted in the air and when he landed, he shot off again. His braid whipped behind him as he ran almost too fast for the eye to see.

Lee attacked, not really aiming to injure but aiming to get past Gaara's natural defense. It was _fun_ if he was being honest with himself, adding the fact that Gaara's sand seemed more eager to grab him instead of kill or crush. It was almost like a game of tag.

After enough time had passed, Lee figured that they could stop and he paused across the circled field. He was tempted to remove his weights but...he wouldn't for something as simple as this. He looked up and as soon as he locked eyes with Gaara, instinct told him that something was wrong.

Sand lunged at him faster than before and Lee barely got away. More came at his back and Lee had to bring out a kunai the cut through it. His brows furrowed and he ran from the too eager sand.

 _'_ _ **Mother? Advice?**_ _'_ Lee asked, jumping and turning his body in a complicated twist to avoid another wave of sand.

' **I...do not know. Get closer to Gaara.** ' She said and Lee subtly nodded.

He made a sharp turn, ducking and dodging pillar after pillar of sand. Suddenly, sand crashed against his back and he saw the beige grains immediately begin to curl around him to capture.

"Okay, play time is over." Lee hissed and rushed chakra through his body to vanish from the circle of sand. He landed not too far away and stood, gazing intently at Gaara.

As he actually _looked_ , he noticed that the demon holder was subtly shaking.

" **Stop running!** " Gaara suddenly shouted, stepping forward as he swung his hand out, sand following his commands too eagerly.

Lee's eyes widened and he quickly flipped away and kept flipping. Finally, he landed on his feet and suddenly shot forward, low to the ground. He used his hands to make sharp turns then sighed as he heard the crashing of sand behind him.

' _Sorry Gaara..._ ' Lee thought in apology as he vanished from a yard away from Gaara to suddenly right in front of the boy. He watched Gaara's eyes widen just before his foot slammed against Gaara's torso, sending the boy to the ground.

"Are you back to yourself?" Lee asked calmly as he slowly lowered his leg to the ground.

Gaara got back to his feet, cracks in his sand armor. He stared at Lee with pin-point eyes and his lips pulled back as he savagely bared his teeth at Lee.

" **Y** o **u** k **e** e **p** r **u** n **n** i **n** g **.**. **.** " Gaara said, his voice a low growl, something between human and demon.

Lee frowned in confusion and was about to answer that they were taking an exam when Gaara continued.

"Y **o** u **k** e **e** p **d** e **n** y **i** n **g** m **e**. **.**." He continued, breath ragged.

"Gaara, I am not denying you." Lee said, just loud enough for Gaara to hear. He opened his mouth to continue when he noticed something off.

Why did it suddenly get so quiet?

Then, there was chaos around them and Lee felt vaguely horrified as he watched foreign shinobi attack those of Konoha. Suddenly, his eyes caught caught their hiate-ate.

"S-...Suna?" Lee whispered and though it was Suna _and_ Oto, the fact that _Suna_ was attacking made him feel oddly _betrayed_. He whipped his head around and stared at Gaara with narrowed eyes even as Temari and Kankuro appeared by the red heads' side.

"Did you know?" Lee asked, trying to keep calm.

Gaara gathered himself, slowly standing straight now that Lee wasn't 'running'. He kept his eyes on the boy even as chaos happened in his peripheral. He didn't answer, staying still even as his _siblings_ tried to usher him on.

"Gaara! Did you know!?" Lee bit out as Team Seven and Shikamaru landed around him.

"It's a mission..." Gaara finally answered and Lee _scowled_.

Lee held no actual love for Konoha but those he _cared_ for lived in Konoha, and he knew that they would die for Konoha as well. He hadn't gotten as far in turning them to him that they wouldn't.

This _mission_ endangered those that were _his_.

"...Do you plan to continue this _mission_...?" Lee slowly asked, lips still turned down.

"I want to." Gaara admitted, still feeling the ache and urge to snatch Lee and bind the boy to him, "This place holds you. If it is gone then there is no debt and you would have no reason to deny me again."

His words agitated Team Seven and Shikamaru. They huddled closer to Lee in a half circle, keeping half of their attention on Lee and Gaara, the other half to make sure that no one else came near. Luckily, no one did, as if the enemy was purposefully avoiding them.

"G-Gaara-" Temari began, once again trying to urge Gaara to continue the mission but she heard sand rustle and quickly shut her mouth.

She wished that they could just be home already and she was all too sure that Kankuro felt the same.

"Once I have you I can make sure that no one will interfere again." Gaara continued, slowly grinning, but then he said the wrong words, "Locked up, no one will be able to see you but me..."

Lee tensed completely and something feral rose within him.

After what he told Gaara... he _dared_ to say that to him?

"What the hell?!" _Shikamaru_ shouted, "You're planning on stealing Lee!? In your damn dreams! We won't let you take him!"

"Hell no we won't!" Sakura bit out

"You try and you'll have to deal with all of us." Sasuke growled

"Believe it, bastard!" Naruto added, lips pulling back in a snarl.

Lee slowly calmed thanks to their words and after a moment, he walked to Gaara.

"I was locked up before, _Gaara_ , and I will _die_ before I let it happen again. I will not allow _anyone_ to lock me up again, not even a potential mate." Lee hissed lowly, stopping in front of the boy and staring straight into his eyes, "You threaten to destroy Konoha, you threaten my freedom...Here is a threat for you."

Lee raised a hand and cupped Gaara's cheek, "I will dissolve our budding bond if either succeed." he whispered then leaned in, almost brushing his lips against Gaara's as he quietly hissed, "Make your decision."

Then, as if Gaara wasn't even there, Lee turned and made his way back to his kittens and mate-to-be.

"Mission change." Lee said, looking at team seven as they straightened up and faced him, " _Destroy_ the enemy if attacked, and stay alive no matter the means. Your life means more than anything. Do not try to be heroes." He looked them all in the eye as each nodded then nodded as well, "Find Kakashi and stay close. His orders are second to mine."

They looked uncertain at that and Lee smiled at them, "Do not worry about me. I will not let anything take me from you."

They nodded again with varying smiles then jumped away as soon as Lee said 'dismissed'. Though the air was still tense and everything just seemed messed up, Shikamaru had to chuckle.

"Somehow, your orders don't surprise me." He said then looked at Lee, "I'm sure you have some for me as well. Just don't be too troublesome."

Lee's lips quirked and he tilted his head invitingly, "You...stay by my side."

"You read my mind." Shikamaru answered.

Lee smirked then nodded and jumped away. It was...an experience, fighting alongside Shikamaru. They fought well together with Shikamaru being able to spread his shadow possession to capture multiple enemies for Lee to finish off.

It caused a dangerous type of excitement to rise within Lee. He could easily imagine them taking this killing further. There were so many things that Shikamaru could do with his shadows and it would make killing so much more interesting. How would if feel, to have Shikamaru willingly hold down an enemy and watch as he _played_ with the worthless victim. To cut into their body and listen to their screams...would Shikamaru learn to love it like he had?

...This was not to time to think such thoughts. Instead, Lee brought his mind to how well they played off each other and how even that was a little exciting; the way Shikamaru was able to keep up with his plans or make them _better_. It seemed to go on forever -though he didn't mind in the least- before Lee caught sight of Kakashi with his kitten's. He frowned and motioned Shikamaru towards them.

"Situation?" Lee asked as they landed beside the Jonin.

"Besides the obvious?" Kakashi said, eye crinkling cheekily before he became serious, "Sound and Sand are working together. Orochimaru is the man behind the plot, he was pretending to be the Kazekage. Him and the Hokage are fighting in that barrier. No one can get through."

Lee looked at the 'cage' where the Kazekage and Hokage had been. He frowned then turned to Kakashi just as he killed another sound ninja.

"I will see if I cannot find another way in." Lee said, using Kakashi's back to dropkick another enemy, his foot cracking the man's skull, "Take care of the kittens and Shikamaru."

Shikamaru jerked from where he was fighting and turned his head to Lee, "You're not going alone." he said.

"I can take care of myself, Shika." Lee said, amused then blinked in surprise as Shikamaru resolutely shook his head.

"Last time you faced...Orochimaru...you were stabbed and frankly, scared the hell out of all of us." Shikamaru grimace at the memory, how scared he'd been...he'd never been that scared before, "It doesn't even have to be me...just take _someone_."

Lee stared at Shikamaru and felt strangely...guilty. When was the last time someone had cared enough like that...he didn't think there was a time. He knew that those he cared for had been distraught at not finding him after the second exam but...he didn't think that anyone would have kept the moment in mind.

But Lee still didn't really know what happened after he lost consciousness.

"...O-okay." Lee said, nodding as he looked away, "I will look for someone suitable. You stay here where it will be safer."

Lee looked around then his eyes caught sight of someone he trusted to not die, "Gai-sensei." he said, "Kakashi, I will be taking Gai-sensei with me."

"Right, I'll keep things going here." Kakashi answered and quickly killed another enemy to clear the way.

Lee smiled and shot forward. He made his way through the fighting shinobi, avoiding being hit.

Of course, his luck couldn't hold out forever.

Lee heard mother shout in his head and turned just in time to see a sword coming down on him. He brought up his arms, hoping that his bones would stop the descent when sand blasted the shinobi away. Lee stared in wide eyed shock then whipped around to see Gaara landing near him.

Lee couldn't think of anything to say.

"My mind was muddled and I said the wrong words before." Gaara said, sparing Lee from his thoughts, "Locked up...that is not what I meant. Away, I wanted..., me and you in a place of our own. Not locked up but away from anyone else." Gaara frowned, gritting his teeth behind his lips, "But...that is not now. It will not be soon though I wish for it. You shared your past with me and I unknowingly brought the thought back. I will wait longer, I wish for us to continue. I will not allow you to dissolve our...bond."

Lee stared then launched himself at Gaara. He gripped Gaara's face and kissed him fiercely then pulled away. His heart trembled and he grinned a little madly, "I forgive you and when this is over, let us share more so we will not make these mistakes again?"

When Gaara nodded, raising his hands to hold Lee's hips, Lee purred out, " _Wonderful~_ Then will you fight by my side? The man from the forest was pretending to be the Kazekage. He is in that barrier, fighting the Hokage. I plan to find a way in."

Lee felt a bit maniac as he spoke, excitement curling up inside him as Gaara nodded shortly. This, Lee could definitely forgive Gaara for his mistakenly uttered words of caging and solitude for this. As long as Gaara fought _with_ him, against his own village and the shinobi of Sound...yes. It was such a tantalizing thought that Lee felt his desire for it grow.

The damage could be undone with that.

"Do you mind killing your own Shinobi, Gaara...?" Lee asked, slowly tilting his head with a smile, "Because that is what I plan to do to get to where I need."

"I don't care for them. Their only purpose is to confirm my existence with their deaths." Gaara stated, staring intently at Lee.

"What beautiful words..." Lee purred, "Then let us confirm our existence together."


	25. Chapter 25

They made their way to the barrier, taking down whoever tried to stop them. There was a...visceral joy in watching Gaara kill other Suna-nin and it made Lee want to giggle but he forced himself to focus on the task. They got to the barrier and Lee saw the four Oto-nin's that were holding the barrier up. Lee frowned and took a step before an ANBU stopped him.

"Don't get any closer. That barrier burns all that touches it. You'll be safer getting out of here." The masked person said and the information made Lee frown harder.

"Gaara," Lee said, turning to the other demon holder instead, "Can you see if your sand can break the roof and go under the barrier?"

Gaara nodded and sand shot from his gourd. It dove at the tiled roof, cracking it but not breaking. The skin around Gaara's eyes tightened and he commanded his sand to attack again and again, breaking more with each hit until it finally broke through. They didn't see the barrier going further down but it had taken a while to break.

Still, it was better than nothing.

Lee prepared to jump in when a loud boom caught his attention. He turned and in the distance, he saw a gigantic snake at the now destroyed village walls. His eyes widened at the destruction it was already causing, crushing buildings beneath its huge body. Lee bit the inside of his cheek and shook his head. Konoha could rebuild, they only had one Hokage.

He turned back to the hole and jumped in, quickly sticking himself to the underside of the roof as it was a long drop down. There were already ANBU inside, chipping away at the underside of the roof. Lee put a hand on Gaara's arm and asked him to break it again.

The sound of fighting echoed into the hole and bounced off the walls, making Lee's body tense. His mind kept going back to his kittens and Shikamaru. He knew Kakashi could handle himself but worried that they might get hurt.

Once, he would have watched their deaths without a single feeling... Now, there mere _thought_ twisted his heart in his chest and made it hard to breathe. He had to hurry. He had to hurry and make sure those he _cared_ for were still okay.

Kami, please let them be okay...

The roof broke again, bringing in more light and just like that, the ANBU were gone. Lee stared for a moment then looked back at Gaara who was staring at him.

"...You do not have to come with me." Lee finally said.

Gaara's eyes narrowed and Lee felt his lips twitch into a smile.

"This is not me sending you away. Just..."

"I am not letting you run from me." Gaara said and Lee stared.

Finally, Lee chuckled and shook his head. Of course Gaara would say something like that. It was demented and wrong to say but it was him. It was something he'd say too. How...perfect. Lee's lips stretched into a wide smile and he briefly nuzzled Gaara's cheek with his own.

"Alright, _Gaara_. Let us go kill a Sannin." Lee purred then he was gone and jumping out of the newly made hole in the roof.

He looked around, immediately spotting Orochimaru facing against two ANBU while five more were helping Sarutobi with...the first and second Hokage's?

Lee frowned, his eyes tracing the fighting figures of the past Hokage's.

"You!" A vaguely familiar hiss came and Lee turned to Orochimaru.

"Hello again handsome~" Lee purred, body relaxing as he fell into a deceptively easy going stance. It seemed like he was greeting an old friend, but he was ready to pounce at a moments notice.

"So you lived...how fortuitous for me." Orochimaru said as he all too easily tossed away the ANBU fighting him. He took a step towards Lee but sand shot up and Orochimaru jumped back to avoid being impaled.

He saw the Ichibi vessel and frowned but then began to chuckle, "I knew there was something special about you, Rock Lee...or should I say _Nekotamashi_ Lee."

Lee's breath hitched at hearing his old name and he stared at Orochimaru with pupils the size of pins. His lips pulled back, revealing sharp teeth all too similar to a cats' and he _glared_.

" _Yess_." Orochimaru chuckled, his lips forming a too wide smile, "I found out so many _interesting_ things about you _Ikiryou_."

Sand shot out again and Orochimaru was forced to turn his attention onto the Shukaku vessel. His smile turned into a frown again and he dodged the sand.

"Annoying." Orochimaru muttered then he was gone.

The Sannin reappeared in front of Gaara, too quick for the sand to block and leg already in motion to send Gaara flying into the barrier. Lee snapped out of his anger just in time to push the red head out of the way and take the hit instead. He just barely grabbed onto Orochimaru's leg to stop himself from flying but felt his ribs creak. He grit his teeth and forced his body to move, throwing his own leg up but Orochimaru gripped it and yanked him up.

Lee gasped and quickly gripped Orochimaru's other hand before it could grab him as well. He hissed into the Snake Sannin's face but the man just laughed.

"Now where were we, _sweetheart_?" Orochimaru semi-mocked.

" **No!** " Gaara growled and sand rushed once more. He commanded the element lethally, the grains lashing out at the Sannin.

Orochimaru jumped away, taking Lee with him. Only, Lee twisted his body and lashed out at the man as well, his nails lengthening like daggers. The Sannin reluctantly dropped him and Lee dashed away.

Lee stopped beside Gaara, his hands slightly trembling. He bared his teeth at Orochimaru then said to Gaara, "This will be a bit difficult Gaara..."

"He will die. His blood will nourish my sand and he will never be able to gaze at you again." Gaara said, eyes narrow as his sand continued to attack. He waved his hand and squeezed it into a fist as it caught the man's wrist. Orochimaru jerked as the sand shattered his wrist and mangled his hand but got away before the sand could crawl up any further. Gaara's lips slowly turned down in a scowl.

Lee blinked then slowly smiled, feeling a giggle slowly rise within him. He nodded, "Yes, one way or another. Let us kill him."

Lee dashed forward, willing and eager to join in on the fight. It felt like dancing, sand rushing around him, never touching him but working with him to attack the older man. After so long, Lee finally felt his claws dig into skin and his eyes flashed madly, a grin splitting his lips. Then,

" _Lee!_ " Sarutobi's voice came and out of reflex, Lee began turning.

Sharp pain entered his shoulder through his shirt and Lee's eyes widened, his mouth opening in a soundless gasp of pain. Then foreign chakra entered his system and he choked back pained screams, falling to his knee's when _fangs_ finally slid out of his skin. Demonic chakra flooded the area around him but it wasn't his own. White noise filled his brain but he still heard one last thing before everything went black.

_"A gift from me to you, my little cat. I will be back for you."_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Darkness receded and Lee's eyes snapped open as he woke from his sleep. White blinded him but he refused to close his eyes or squint. He silently shot up, his ears picking up the sound of breathing and he whipped around, hand outstretched but then he froze as his nose picked up familiar scents under the scent of antiseptic that was normal in a hospital.

Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, and _Shikamaru_.

Lee blinked rapidly until he could see and he slowly let his hand fall back to his side and stared at the for sleeping around him. Shikamaru the closest to him, chin tucked against his chest as he sat in the chair near his head. Lee immediately noticed the Chunin vest the boy wore and felt a flare of pride. Then he allowed his eyes to roam towards his kittens. All three were half on his bed and leaning against each other with Sakura in the middle.

It was strange yet...it made him feel warm inside at the same time. No one had ever waited for him to wake before, especially not in a hospital. Then again, Lee had never really been in a hospital like this before.

Lee looked around and slowly got out of the bed, absently noticing his change of clothes -a pair of black sweats and a dark grey shirt with a wide neckline-. He stepped towards the window and noticed that it was early morning. Not only that but...in the distance, Konoha was destroyed.

Building were rubble closer to the gates but it was lucky that it wasn't too far in. It would take a long while but they could rebuild...if they had enough ninja. What happened after-...after...

Lee raised his hand and gripped his shoulder, his heartbeat doubling. He rushed to the bathroom on silent feet and pulled the neckline of his shirt to look. His legs almost failed him at the relief coursing through him. There was no left over bite mark.

Lee let his hand fall but froze again as the shirt settled lower than before revealing the skin right under where Orochimaru had bitten him. There, a vivid black against his pale skin, was a strange mark surrounded by seals just below his collar bone. His heart doubled in pace again and he slowly pulled his shirt down to reveal more of the strange mark. His breath came out in stutters as he finally noticed the foreign chakra in that mark, the seals seeming to keep it from entering the rest of his body.

It looked like a starburst on his skin, lines branching out from a small center.

It made him feel _sick_ and he remembered Orochimaru's last words like a gong in his mind.

_"A gift from me to you, my little cat. I will be back for you."_

Oh Kami...Orochimaru _marked_ him.

It wasn't a mate mark but that _bastard_ still _marked_ him!

Lee felt his eyes burn and his expression twist into agony. White noise filled his mid as he dug his nails into the mark and he began clawing at it, panting in desperation. His body shook but he continued even as the sharp smell of wet iron filled his nose.

A hand touched his shoulder and Lee whipped around bloody nails lashing out and stopping a centimeter before they could touch Shikamaru. He stared with wide almost blind eyes at the boy and Shikamaru slowly touched his cheek. Lee twitched and his eyes traveled to Shikamaru's now wet fingertips.

He was...crying?

Lee stared in confusion, expression lost until Shikamaru slowly pulled him forward into his arms. Lee blinked, not able to think but his body relaxed without his permission and he curled up in Shikamaru's arms, gripping the Shadow users shirt tightly. His body continued to tremble but...he felt _safer_. He didn't even notice that they slowly sank to the ground.

It was a long while before sound finally made it past the white noise in his head and he could hear Shikamaru murmuring.

"Come back, please, you have to come back to me. Everything will be fine just come back. Lee please, I need you here..."

A rush a warmth filled his heart, chasing away the hollow feeling and Lee buried his face into Shikamaru's chest. Like this, the mark -whatever it was- didn't matter.

"... _Shikamaru_..." Lee whispered then slowly, gently smiled "I am back..."

Shikamaru's breath hitched then he sighed in relief and chuckled breathlessly as he hugged Lee even tighter to him, "Hey..." he muttered, "Welcome back."

Lee breathed softly into Shikamaru's shirt, feeling small in his lap. It felt... _nice_.

"Can you-...what-... What happened?" Lee finally asked.

"I don't know too much. Orochimaru had his followers summon a large snake to destroy part of Konoha. Jiraiya was the one who took care of that...but..." Shikamaru paused and asked, "What do you remember last."

"...I remember feeling demonic chakra then I passed out." Lee said, not wanting to talk about what happened a mere second before that.

"Ah...Gaara-san turned. It broke the barrier and suddenly there was a demon attacking Orochimaru alongside the Hokage. Not many know who he is though. Just those who knew in the first place. I'm guessing that you met up with him instead of Gai and found him sufficient enough to take with you instead?" Shikamaru asked, his voice the same bored tone as always, the complete opposite of his actions and how tightly he was still holding Lee.

"Mmm...he told me he did not mean to say such words then said that he would strike down his own village nin along with me." Lee said, mind racing with the information that Shukaku came out and attacked Orochimaru instead of just going on a killing spree.

"Hm...I guess it's a good thing. With him and the Hokage fighting together, Orochimaru fled." Shikamaru said and Lee felt something loosen in his chest.

Sarutobi was still alive and kicking then...

"Currently, Gaara-san is working with Hokage-sama and helping us rebuild." Shikamaru added and Lee jolted in surprise, looking up at Shikamaru with wide eyes.

"W-What?" Lee asked

"Gaara-san is helping us rebuild." Shikamaru repeated, then continued, "Until you wake and he knows that you are unharmed. That's what he said at least."

"O-Oh..." Lee muttered, not knowing how to feel. Then, there was a hand under his chin, tilting his head up.

"Lee..." Shikamaru murmured and for a moment, his expression twisted but Lee couldn't tell how.

"Y-yes?" Lee whispered.

Shikamaru's eyes tightened with pain and a bit of fear. His lips thinned a bit before he leaned closer and said, "You-...You really scared me again. I thought...I thought you..."

He couldn't finish and had to close his eyes to gather himself, but it made him remember. He had only turned by chance and saw an ANBU carrying Lee away. Lee had been limp and looked so pale that for one horrid moment, Shikamaru thought that he was dead.

Shikamaru felt his throat ache and he body try to shake.

"You-...You _need_ to be more careful!" Shikamaru whispered harshly, pain subtly twisting his expression, "You act like you're so indestructible but you're _not_. I know you're strong but you're only _human_ and-..." Shikamaru trailed off, his voice tight and slightly hoarse. He leaned down and rested his forehead against Lee's neck, his hand traveling from Lee's chin over his cheek and into his loose hair.

Lee felt his heart beating to quickly in his chest, his cheeks warm even through the slight guilt at causing Shikamaru to make such an expression. But even with that, the fact that Shikamaru cared so much was well worth it. Still...

"I..." Lee began then paused to wet his lips and whispered, "I will try not to...I...I just forget sometimes...that I have people that care."

And it was true. Going into battle, it was like everything vanished and the past became the present. How could he do that to Shikamaru, to everyone...?

"I promise, I will do better. I will remember and I will always come back to you-" Lee said then his lips were being blocked and Shikamaru was _kissing_ him.

Lee's heart thudded in his chest and he felt almost faint. They didn't really kiss, maybe three or four times and certainly never like _this_. Lee whimpered softly as Shikamaru slowly worked open his mouth and tasted him so sweetly. The warmth of Shikamaru's hands cupping his face was making him almost delirious. His cheeks were red, he just knew it but Lee _wanted_. He kissed back, easily pulled into Shikamaru's pace of slow and thorough. It made him tremble and his heart beat even faster even as his chest filled with indescribable warmth and the butterflies in his stomach fluttered around with single minded determination to make him feel too giddy.

Lee's hands shook as he clenched Shikamaru's shirt, his fingers twisted in the material and slowly pulling Shikamaru closer. He gasped into Shikamaru's mouth as the boy wrapped an arm around his waist and the other went into his hair again. Lee arched and slowly wrapped his arms around Shikamaru's neck. He was getting drunk off of these kisses that felt so nice and _loving_.

It felt like Shikamaru was telling him that he loved him with each press of their lips and tongue.

Then Shikamaru was pulling away and Lee whined softly, reluctant to end the warm haze Shikamaru put him in. Shikamaru chuckled, his voice delightfully rough and it made Lee shiver.

Lee spoke without thinking, his words slightly slurred as he said, "Your kisses are _magic_."

Shikamaru felt his own cheeks warm but he grinned crookedly at the slightly drunk smile on Lee's lips. Heat filled him at the look on Lee's face, like they did something _much_ naughtier than just kissing but he didn't take it any further. He pressed another, softer kiss on Lee's soft lips and said,

"I could say the same about yours."

Shikamaru's heart skipped and he smiled as Lee made a half embarrassed and half happy sound before pressing his face into Shikamaru's shirt again. It made Shikamaru chuckle again but the shadow user just hugged the demon holder close, reluctant to leave the little bubble they made where it was just them.

Then Lee moved and Shikamaru sighed, slowly releasing the boy. Lee sat up and gave Shikamaru a small but _sweet_ smile. It made Shikamaru's heart skip again.

"Thank you, Shika." Lee said

"For what?" Shikamaru asked with a smile

"Everything really. Just...thank you." Lee smiled a little wider then stood up along with Shikamaru.

Lee looked down at the shirt he wore and sighed softly and the bloodstain that covered the collar. His earlier clawing had already healed but now he needed a new shirt. Well, he needed his clothes. Almost like he knew what Lee was thinking, Shikamaru spoke up.

"Sakura brought clothes for you. They're in the closet." He said then added, "I'll go get a nurse so you can leave as soon as possible."

"Oh wonderful." Lee said with another smile then he nodded and shyly kissed Shikamaru's lips.

"Thank you again." He said and when Shikamaru nodded after giving him a kiss back, he felt his cheeks warm again. He watched the Nara heir leave then quickly went to get the clothes. After he was done changing, Lee went up to the still slumbering Team Seven. He looked down at them and felt a rush of warmth. He was about to wake them when the door opened. He turned, expecting to see Shikamaru though it would have been much too fast but was pleasantly surprised to see Kakashi.

The man froze when he saw Lee awake and moving. He shifted and rubbed the back of his head nervously.

"Kakashi..." Lee said, voice quiet with surprise then he slowly smiled, "You came..."

"Yeah..." Kakashi shifted again before finally coming into the room and closing the door behind him, "You're...okay?"

"I feel okay." Lee answered with a sweet smile, still feeling light from being with Shikamaru.

Kakashi stared for a too long moment then quickly looked away, "You...had a lot of us worried." he said, a bit more honestly than he wanted.

Lee breathed a slightly guilty laugh, "I heard...but, I am not so easily done in." he smiled again, "You do not need to worry about that. Besides, from now on...I will be much more careful. I will...I will remember."

"...Remember what?" Kakashi asked, stepping closer and closer until he was right in front of Lee. His revealed eye looking over the boy with a hidden desperation.

"That I..." Lee paused then gave Kakashi a _warm_ smile, his eyes shone with a brightness that it never had before, "I have loved ones to come home to."

Kakashi's breath hitched and without even thinking about it, he began to reach out to Lee. To touch that warm smile and feel its soft curve.

The door opened and Kakashi sharply yet subtly changed direction, patting Lee's head instead.

Lee blinked in surprise again but the warmth of Kakashi's hand on his head felt nice. He giggled softly then looked towards the door. This time it was Shikamaru with the nurse.

The woman walked over to him and soon, he was sitting on the bed. His kittens were awake and watching as the nurse ran green hands over his body, checking to see how Lee was healing. She made a surprised noise and said,

"Well, it looks like you weren't even injured in the first place. Your fractured ribs were healed but there is no weakness anymore and your internal bruising is gone too." She said, the green glow of her hands slowly fading, "You're good to leave today. You just need to sign out."

"That is good. Though..." Lee turned and looked at the others, "How long was I asleep?"

"A little over a day." Shikamaru answered

"Not too long then, that is good too." Lee nodded to himself and made to stand when two of his kittens finally broke and tackled him to the bed.

"Kaa-chan!" They both said and Lee blinked down at the mix of pink and yellow hair. He purred and hugged them both, inwardly beyond satisfied that Sakura just called him mom.

"My kittens, I am sorry for worrying you." Lee said, nuzzling them both.

"Don't do it again!" Sakura said, looking up at Lee with teary eyes, "We need you here with us! We can't be team seven without you!"

Naruto nodded, his eyes glassy with tears as well, "You're Kaa-chan. You can't leave us...okay?"

"Oh..." Lee breathed with a fond smile, "Of course I will not leave you. I would never. Nothing can tear me away from you, believe that."

Lee looked up and smiled at Sasuke as well who was slightly trembling, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Sasuke...?" Lee slowly said, his arm leaving Sakura's back to open a space for him, "I feel that I need a hug from you as well. I do not think I will be fully healed without it."

"...I-idiot." Sasuke said, his lips thinning but his legs quickly bringing him to Lee. He took his place in the group hug and pressed his head against Lee's shoulder, curling in slightly and gripping the back of Lee's shirt tightly.


	26. Chapter 26

Lee had gone with the others to sign out but the moment he did, an ANBU member showed up and said that the Hokage had requested his presence. Lee accepted though he felt slightly nervous. Usually he wouldn't be but...what if it was about the mark?

He told the others that he'd meet them at home then headed to the tower.

' _ **What do you think Sarutobi wants?**_ ' Lee asked but there was no reply in his mind. He slowed his stride, feeling uneasy.

' _ **Mother...?**_ ' Lee said then stopped as there was still no answer.

' _ **Mother...? Are...are you asleep? You are just asleep right?**_ ' Lee swallowed roughly, feeling his heart stutter in his chest then he felt faint with relief as he heard a sleepy mumble.

' **Do...do not worry kitten. I was only sleeping...** 'Matatabi said, sounding tired, ' **I am very tired...I am going to sleep for a little, alright little one?** '

' _ **Of course, sleep well Mother. I will not disturb your rest.**_ ' Lee answered, lips curling into a smile. He felt her presence dim in his mind and knew she was asleep again. He didn't mind that his question had not been answered, he was just glad that Mother was okay.

He continued walking again and made his was to the Hokage tower. He told the secretary that he'd been summoned and went up the stairs to the double doors that held the Hokage. He paused for a moment and rolled his neck before knocking then coming in. His eyes caught the other two occupants immediately, Sarutobi and Jiraiya. Lee let his lips curl into a 'polite' smile but then Sarutobi shook his head and waved his hand.

"Honesty, Lee-kun. Do not worry about Jiraiya." He said

Lee's polite smile vanished and in its place, the familiar mocking smile -that was more habit than anything- came. He just...couldn't show how much his opinion had changed about the man.

"You summoned me Hokage- _sama_?" Lee asked with a slight bite.

"Lee-kun..." Sarutobi sighed as Jiraiya frowned then said, "I do not doubt that you've noticed the new addition on your chest?"

"Yes, it is quite...annoying. Is it safe to assume you know what the filth is?" Lee asked, voice lofty

"Yes. It's called a curse mark. There is another in this village who holds the same mark though hers is a different design."

Lee's smile -though still mocking- dropped and he looked at the old man with a blank yet cold expression, "So you do not know how to rid me of it."

"...No. The best we could do was seal it but-" Sarutobi paused and motioned to where Jiraiya -who had yet to actually speak since Lee's entrance- stood, "Jiraiya is the top Fujinjutsu Expert alive known. He sealed your curse mark."

Lee turned his gaze onto Jiraiya and looked him up and down just like he had that time near the baths, "Are you absolutely sure that the deviant is not in line with the snake?"

Jiraiya jerked and his lips twisted into a frown, "I do not work with Orochimaru. You would do well to remember that, _Ikiryou_."

Lee chuckled mirthlessly, "Ah...so you told him..."

"It was necessary for what I'm about to tell you now." Sarutobi said, making Lee turn his gaze back onto him.

"I am retiring soon, Lee." The Hokage said, "I am old and sentimental. I know I would not be able to do what's best for Konoha if confronted with Orochimaru again. I offered the title of Hokage to Jiraiya yet he has refused it." He paused then continued, "I want you and Naruto to go with Jiraiya and find Senju Tsunade. Convince her to come back to Konoha and become the next Hokage."

"How... _nice_ of you." Lee said, " _Now,_ what is the main reason for wanting me and _Naruto_ to go?"

Sarutobi sighed again then put his folded hands on the desk, "There is a group-"

"Hokage?!" Jiraiya looked at Sarutobi with slightly wide eyes but the older man shook his head.

"It's alright, Jiraiya. I trust Lee-kun, plus, he plays more of a role than you think." He said, then continued, "There is a group called the Akatsuki. They have been going after the tailed beasts for reasons unknown for now. This will take you and Naruto out of the village and with one of the strongest people I know. Do not doubt, I do want Tsunade to come back and be Hokage but that is second to keeping Naruto safe."

Surprisingly, Lee heard the unspoken words of ' _and you as well_ '. He shifted and breathed his own sigh.

"Alright. I can accept that but Naruto will not." Lee said, "Even if you do not tell him the truth. In my honest opinion, I do not think he will accept a mission without Sakura and Sasuke."

Sarutobi went quite for a long moment, thinking of the pro's and con's of such decision then he nodded, "There could be a benifit to bringing all the genin of Team Seven."

Jiraiya sighed, "Greeeat." he grumbled, rubbing his hand over his face, "I'm a glorified babysitter for four brats now."

Sarutobi chuckled even as Lee raised an eyebrow, "I think you will be surprised, Jiraiya." The oldest man said then continued, "Alright, mission status is Rank A disguised as a Rank C. Officially, you will be retrieving one Senju Tsunade and bringing her back to Konoha. Unofficially, you will be avoiding Akatsuki capture. Mission length is undetermined. I expect you to deliver the news to the rest of Team Seven, Lee-kun."

"Understood." Lee said then turned to leave without being dismissed.

Jiraiya followed him after confirming that he had nothing more to add with Sarutobi.

They were silent as they made their way down the stairs but Lee could feel the older man's gaze on him. It still _rankled_ that the one Sannin that Lee actually had respected, the one he thought was _good_ was the pervert next to him. He felt _cheated_ at the knowledge.

Subconsciously, his lips began to pull down, slightly revealing his sharp teeth.

There was a grunt-like sound next to him and Jiraiya spoke, "Alright, Lee- _san_. We need to make _nice_ or at least polite for this road trip. Think you can do that?"

"Do not come near my kittens and we will be fine." Lee shot back, disliking Jiraiya's tone immediately.

"I can't exactly protect them if I'm not 'allowed' near them."

"I can protect them just fine. You are not needed. Your only use comes from the fact that you are most able to bring back the Slug Princess."

Suddenly, there was a hand on his shoulder and Lee was forced to face a glaring Jiraiya, "Look, I get that you have a problem with me-"

Lee cut him off, "I do not have a problem. I just hate you."

"Why the hell do you hate me so much!?"

"Besides the fact you peep on women while they are _bathing_?" Lee hissed, just barely keeping his voice down, "You are _Jiraiya_ , the Toad Sage! One of the last legendary Sannin who was meant to be _good_. You did not become evil and you did not become a _drunk_. You did not abandon your village and you did not shy away from being a shinobi! I _respected_ you...then I found out that you were just a _pervert_. Even being a pervert I could accept but viewing others while they are in a vulnerable state- You are just like that disgusting _bastard_." Lee felt his throat tighten like he was going to choke but he pushed away his feeling of sickness.

"So I will repeat, I _hate_ you. And as long as you continue to do that _thing_ I _hate_ , I will continue to hate _you_." Lee spat then he pulled back, forcing Jiraiya to let go of his shoulder. He glared at the older man and said, "We will meet at the gate tomorrow at noon, goodbye."

Then he turned and left, feeling Jiraiya's wordless stare on his back.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee walked through the streets of Konoha, still feeling the anger simmering under his skin. He fixed a smile on his face and walked with more of a sway to his hips than normal. The only thing he took comfort in was the fact that at least his kittens would be with him on the mission. He wished that Kakashi was too though...

Lee sighed and ran a hand over his face.

Kakashi did read Jiraiya's books though...maybe if he told the Jounin that Jiraiya peeked in on ladies bath houses, Kakashi would find fault.

He hoped Kakashi would find fault.

Lee groaned.

Then he felt _sand_ circle his wrist.

Lee's eyes widened and he quickly whipped around with a happy, "Gaara!" leaving his lips. He immediately went to the red head's side and checked him over, "You are alright, yes? I heard you... _turned_. Are you alright?"

Gaara blinked, surprised, then a very tiny smile crossed his lips. It made Lee freeze and stare, a small blush tinting his cheeks.

"I am fine...thank you." Gaara said, "You were the one in the hospital though. How are you?"

"I-I am okay." Lee stuttered slightly, his blush growing, "I am all healed."

"That's good..." Gaara stared at Lee silently for long moments before Lee shifted and asked,

"Have you eaten yet?" when Gaara shook his head, a smile formed on Lee's lips and he asked, "Then would you like to have a late breakfast with me?"

"Yes, I would."

"Wonderful." Lee smiled a little brighter and took Gaara's hand. He lead the other demon holder to a place he liked to frequent and chose a table for them to sit at.

It was silent as they got their food and began to eat. Though every few moments, Lee would look up and there Gaara would be, staring. It was an odd sort of stare, it felt... _nice_ , like one he'd feel from Shikamaru. It made Lee want to squirm and blush at the same time. When they finally finished their food, it was Gaara who spoke first.

"The fight..." Gaara said, catching Lee attention and keeping it. He went silent for a moment and Lee leaned back, his hands on his lap.

"Against the snake?" He asked though he knew.

"Yes." Gaara nodded. "When I saw you collapse..." there was a tick and Gaara's eyes darkened in a way that made Lee shiver. Gaara looked angry yet his skin somehow took on a paler shade than before.

"I understand now, or, I'm beginning to." Gaara continued

"Understand what?"

"I _never_ want to see you like that again." Gaara said, voice slightly rougher than normal, "Pale like death and not moving. He had you in his _arms_ and-" He paused like he was trying to collect himself but it didn't work, "I thought he was going to take you _away_ and I couldn't do _anything_. I needed _help_ and even that-"

Orochimaru had ran of course, but Gaara knew if the Hokage hadn't been with him then he wouldn't have been able to get Lee back on his own. Too much anger and desperation had filled him.

Gaara shook his head then he spoke a promise, "I will get stronger so I will never have to see you like that again. I will become better so we can fight side by side. I will do anything I can so I can...so I can protect you. My sand shields me, but I want to become your shield as well. When I am able to do that, that is when I know I can be your mate."

Lee felt his heart skip and his lungs squeeze. He swallowed hard, teeth aching, and before he knew it, he was already across the table and on Gaara's lap. His hands were in Gaara's hair and his mouth against Gaara's neck. He barely stopped himself from biting even though he _wanted_ to. Then he felt a vibration against his lips and the tightness of Gaara's hands on his hips. He whined low in his throat, hands trembling as he scraped his teeth against Gaara's skin.

Gaara groaned lowly in Lee's ear then whispered in a ragged tone, "Don't _tempt_ me..."

Lee shivered and panted softly against Gaara's neck. He forced his head away and rested it on Gaara's shoulder, wrapping his arms around Gaara's neck to try and gather himself. It took an amount of control that Lee honestly didn't think he had but a long while later, Lee was finally able to pull away.

He turned his head towards Gaara's and shakily inhaled as they were only inches away. Gaara's eyes were _dark_ and kami, he still wanted to _bite_.

"I found it...?" Gaara slowly asked and his voice was still ragged and rough.

Lee made a noise that he hoped was a yes but even in his own ears it sounded like a whimper instead. He felt Gaara shiver and the red head closed his eyes, leaning down like being pulled by a string. Gaara's hot breath rushed over Lee's neck and he opened his mouth, teasing himself by scraping his teeth over Lee's neck just like Lee had done moment's ago.

"Do you... _want_ like I do...?" Gaara rasped, arms slowly wrapping around Lee's waist instead of just holding it.

" _Yes_..." Lee answered, "but the _timing_..."

"..." Gaara suddenly growled against Lee's neck and tormented himself again by nipping Lee's neck but never broke the skin, "When we meet again. I will show you I can be your shield. Then...right here-" he nipped the spot again, making Lee gasp, "I will leave my mark here."

"Y-yes." Lee whispered and he pulled Gaara a little closer, "Next time..."

Then Lee pulled back and kissed Gaara, trailing his hands back and cupping Gaara's face. For once, the kiss was simple with no tongue but it _felt_ intimate. He _liked_ it. When he pulled back, he could feel Gaara's hand in his hair and the rush of warm air over his lips.

"I eagerly await our next meeting." Lee whispered with a slow but warm smile. He wanted to say that he loved the boy in front of him but the words would not even try to come up. So he laid his head back on Gaara's shoulder and held onto him.

Gaara exhaled shakily and hugged Lee tighter to him, the foreign feeling of happiness filling his chest to the brim. It hurt in a way he could easily say he...loved.

They stayed like that, quietly talking to each other for another hour before they knew they had to leave. Lee walked with Gaara until they were at the gates where Temari and Kankuro were. Lee stared at Gaara, feeling a strange hollowness forming inside his chest at the thought of Gaara not being in Konoha anymore. Still, he pushed it away with a sigh and kissed Gaara once more.

Gaara kissed back, slipping his hand into Lee's hair in a welcome habit. He barely pulled away and quietly reminded Lee of his promise.

Five minutes later, Lee couldn't even see Gaara's back anymore.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee opened the door to his shared home and the sound of his kittens eased the ache in his chest. He inhaled and could smell their mingling scents everywhere.

"You're back." Kakashi's voice slightly surprised him but Lee smiled and nodded.

Lee removed his sandals and set them next to Kakashi's in the row, briefly feeling warm at the sight. He thought he'd be used to it but something about seeing all of their sandals together made it feel even more like they were...family. Lee smiled again then walked towards Kakashi.

"The Hokage explained a little on my new...mark" Lee's lips pulled back into a scowl but it was gone in a second. "I met with Gaara after and he affirmed that I was fine and left Konoha."

Kakashi nodded, walking close to Lee as they made their way to the living room.

"Was that all?" He asked then his lips thinned under his mask as Lee shook his head.

"No but that is something everyone needs to hear."

"Ah..."

"Kaa-chan!" Naruto and Sakura called out as they all saw Lee come in with Kakashi, turning on the couch and looking over the back. Sasuke stood instead of turning and his expression and body seemed to relax at the sight of Lee.

"...Welcome back." Sasuke said, and Lee's warm smile had him blushing and pushing his hands into his pockets, slightly looking away.

"I am home." Lee softly said, turning his smile onto them all. Then he clapped his hands together and added, "Alright, Team Seven has been given a mission."

"What?! Awesome! What are we doing?!" Naruto asked, excited

"We will be locating a special person. Tsunade, the Slug Princess." Lee said, then slightly frowned, "Unfortunately..." he looked at Kakashi and said, "Our team leader will be Jiraiya, the Toad Sage, not our Kakashi."

All of them frowned and Sakura spoke up, "But...why?"

"As Jiraiya is Tsunade's old team mate, I assume that is the reason." Lee answered though he began to scowl.

"Wait, isn't _Jiraiya_ that pervert Naruto saw spying on the women's baths?" Sasuke asked, his own frown growing.

"Yes." Lee said, fully scowling now.

"What the hell?! I don't want to go with that guy! What if he tries to peek on Sakura-chan?!" Naruto exclaimed, looking angry. Sakura grimaced and shifted closer to Naruto.

"Then I will tear out his eyes." Lee said, sparing no sugared words. It made Sakura smile so Lee wouldn't regret saying it even if he had the ability.

Kakashi stayed quiet through it all.

In the end, the Genin of Team Seven didn't want to go without Kakashi -which made Kakashi happy, Lee saw it in the brightness in his revealed eye and the color that traveled to the mans ears- but they had to so they would anyway. They stayed together and spent the day like a family would coming together easily. It made Lee purr with triumph.

This is what he wanted, his kittens automatically staying together with him, it was such an added bonus that Kakashi did the same though.

That night, after the three children went to bed, Lee walked with Kakashi back to the older mans room. Kakashi left the door open and Lee followed in. They sat next to each other on the bed and Lee subconsciously sat close enough that his arm was pressed against Kakashi's.

They were silent for a while before Kakashi spoke up.

"I'm guessing that finding Tsunade is not the only mission."

Lee hummed a little, tone slightly irritated. It made Kakashi chuckle then the man slightly leaned back on his hands. Lee leaned against Kakashi without thinking, pressing against Kakashi's side.

"No...there is a group called the Akatsuki, they are searching for the tailed beasts. The mission was originally for me and Naruto to leave with the Toad Sage to avoid them, finding the Slug Princess was the second objective." Lee said and he felt Kakashi tense against him.

Kakashi's arm slowly curled around Lee's other hip, pressing the boy firm against his side. His -admittedly- more animal instincts telling him that he should keep Lee there, that he shouldn't let any of them go. He didn't feel good about this mission at all. He pulled Lee closer and looked down at the boy. His breath caught as Lee was already looking up at him, eyes open and large instead of the normal almost bored look.

His heart sped in his chest but he didn't let it show, instead, he leaned down and stared intently into Lee's eyes.

"You need to keep yourself safe." Kakashi said, "Don't-...don't take any chances."

Lee felt oddly flustered by Kakashi's stare and how close he was, yet that didn't stop the way his heart jumped in his chest. He felt almost...nervous, but in a good way, so he smiled.

"Do not worry, Kashi-kun." Lee said, lips curling a little more as his smile grew. He rested his hand on Kakashi's leg in comfort and added, "I will come back to you. We all will... So keep yourself safe too, okay?"

Kakashi's heart trembled in his chest and he swallowed hard, fighting against the urge to lean down and kiss the boy pressed against his side. He shouldn't, he knew that. Lee was so young, even despite the fact that age was not so much of an issue to Shinobi. They could die at any time, why would age matter as long as each person knew what was happening.

Only Kakashi felt so broken compared to Lee and he didn't want to drag Lee down.

So he didn't do anything and instead, only smiled, his eye crinkling as Lee left his room to go to his own.

Kakashi got ready for bed and slipped under the covers, bringing the blanket up over his face out of habit. It was strange in a way that it wasn't anymore, how easily Kakashi fell asleep at this house instead of his own -practically abandoned- apartment. This place, Lee's house...he was _relaxed_ here. It made his want for Lee worse, the way the boy felt like _home_ now.

Kakashi had to remind himself every day that no matter what, Lee didn't deserve to be shackled by him. No matter how dark Lee thought he still was, Kakashi could see how much the boy had changed. He was almost bright now, a warm light in darkness for anyone who looked.

For a moment, it made Kakashi think...what if Lee dragged him up instead?

Kakashi's breath hitched and he pressed his palms to his eyes as his heart trembled in his chest again.

He _wanted_.


	27. Chapter 27

The next day, Lee made everyone breakfast then said that he was going out to get extra things to bring along on their mission. He still disliked the idea of Jiraiya being their captain instead of Kakashi -though it was really only in name- but he'd do as the Hokage ordered.

No matter how much he hated it.

Lee sighed and sealed his purchases into storage scrolls, getting ready to go and find Shikamaru to tell the boy that he was going to be gone for a long while when he heard bells. He paused, something inside him tensing and he -oddly- waited to see if it had just been in his mind.

He heard the bells again.

A shiver ran up Lee's spine and for some reason, he was reminded of his Angel.

"Lee!" A voice called out and Lee turned, automatically smiling as he saw Shikamaru.

"Shika-kun," he said, "I was just about to go look for you."

The Nara heir raised an eyebrow even as he stood right beside Lee. At the same time, they reach for each other, hands bumping together. Lee felt his cheeks warm and he giggled softly as Shikamaru gripped his hand. Then it was Shikamaru's turn to blush as Lee intertwined their fingers, but the Nara was also grinning slightly at the motion.

"What did you need?" Shikamaru asked and Lee shook his head

"It is not something I need. I just wanted to tell you that me and the kittens will be going on a long mission. I do not know when we will be back."

"Already? You just woke up yesterday." Shikamaru frowned

"Well, you know how it is. No rest for the wicked." Lee said with a small smile and Shikamaru huffed a slight laugh, shaking his head. It made Lee smile grow.

"True, still, are you going to be okay?" Shikamaru asked and he looked straight at Lee, searching.

Lee smiled a little wider at Shikamaru's worry, the feeling still a wonder to him. He nodded and said, "It is a simple retrieval mission, unfortunately, Kakashi will not be with us but the Hokage has found a...replacement."

Shikamaru noticed the pause -of course he would- but after a moment, chose not to comment on it and instead, pulled Lee closer and wrapped an arm around him. They continued to walk, matching steps easily so they would not bump each other. They were silent for a while, simply enjoying the subtle intimacy. It was only when they neared Lee's home that Shikamaru gently squeezed Lee's hip and slowed to a stop.

Lee looked up at Shikamaru, brows slightly furrowed in confusion but he still stopped.

"You'll...be careful, right?" Shikamaru's voice came out slow and a little low as he stared straight at Lee again. His hand squeezed Lee's hip again but this time his grip stayed tight in worry.

Lee smiled warmly and turned to completely face the boy. He lifted his hands and cupped Shikamaru's cheeks before saying, "Of course. I do not plan to let you go so I need to be careful and come back, do I not?"

Shikamaru chuckled and leaned into the touch, gently pulling Lee against his body as he did so, "Yeah, that's right...and I'm not letting you go either." He leaned down and pressed his forehead against Lee's then breathed in the subtle scent of honey that seemed to always follow the other boy, "...Come back soon."

Lee's smile grew and he purred deep in his chest, making Shikamaru chuckle again. Lee closed his eyes, enjoying the closeness Shikamaru brought and whispered, "I will do my best."

Shikamaru nodded, taking care not to dislodge Lee, "I'll be thinking of you."

Lee felt his cheeks warm and his heart skip. Shikamaru was...so sweet and -romantic was a word that came to him but what did he really know about romance?- still, Lee loved it. He tilted his head just and inch and pressed their lips together. They stayed there for a while, kissing slowly like they had all the time in the world. Lee was the one to slowly pull away, his breathing slightly heavy as his cheeks were a warm pink color.

"I should be going now..."

Shikamaru sighed but nodded. He tilted Lee's head up and kissed him once more before saying, "Be safe...I love you."

Lee's breath hitched and he buried his face in Shikamaru's chest, making the boy chuckle. He shot up and gave Shikamaru a short and hard kiss then ran the rest of the way to the house. When he got there, his cheeks were still slightly pink but he could blame it on the cold breeze. He opened the door and called out his return.

"...Welcome back." Sasuke's voice came slightly quiet but relaxed.

Lee looked up and smiled. He went over to the boy and kissed his cheek, "Thank you kitten. Are the others in the back?"

"Yeah." Sasuke said, his ears taking on a red tint, "Sakura is learning the water prison jutsu from Kakashi and Naruto is trying to learn Wind Shuriken. I came in to get some water."

"Ah, you were doing more fire jutsu?" Lee asked, walking with Sasuke back to their backyard.

Sasuke nodded, "Kakashi started me on the Hiding in Ash technique."

"That is a great one, a hands free smoke bomb, but you will burn Naruto and Sakura if you do not learn how to hold back the fire portion."

"That's what I'm having problems with." Sasuke said, irritation coating his tone. It made Lee smile and he put his hand on Sasuke's shoulder, leaning in to nuzzle the boys cheek. Sasuke made a sound and Lee laughed as he saw the boy blush but he was glad Sasuke didn't move away.

"You will get it." Lee said, "It is convenient that the ash comes first. There is another jutsu called Burning Ash that is almost the same. It would be easier to learn that one as to ignite the ash, you must click your teeth together. If you refrain from doing that then it is a magnificent smoke bomb. The only thing is, it is a B rank jutsu."

Sasuke froze then turned to Lee, grabbing his hand. "Teach me." He said, demanded. He knew it would be better to learn than Hiding in the Ash which would everyone but himself.

Lee blinked then smiled. He moved that inch between them to kiss Sasuke's nose, making the boy jerk and blush.

"Okay, but you must take care. What makes it a B rank is the concentration of chakra it needs. You cannot just pour chakra into it and expect everything to go okay. You must make sure not to over do it and be careful." Lee warned then he added, "I do want you to still learn Hiding in the Ash though."

Sasuke nodded sharply, determined. Lee smiled warmly and kissed Sasuke's cheek again, saying, "My precious Sasuke."

"L-Lee..." Sasuke grumbled but his voice hinted at happiness. It made Lee giggle.

Lee squeezed Sasuke's hand then continued his way to the back, leading Sasuke along. He called out his return to the others and said he got the supplies.

"We are supposed to leave at noon so let us share one last meal?" Lee asked, tilting his head.

"Yeah!" Naruto said, happy though his excitement was dulled at the fact that they wouldn't all be together for the mission.

"I'll help cook." Sakura said, quickly going over to Lee.

Kakashi's eye crinkled happily though he was still worried, "I'll check over the supplies. Just to make sure."

Lee nodded and handed the storage scrolls to Kakashi then lead Sakura to the kitchen while Sasuke and Naruto went to get all of their bags and put them with Kakashi before going to set the table. Lee and Sakura made a quick meal, able to make at least a few things that everyone liked. Then Lee had Sakura get everyone while he put everything out.

"Everything seems okay." Kakashi said as he sat, "I had to take out a certain someones ramen packets though."

"Oi! That was for our snacks!" Naruto said,slightly scowling but there was no actual anger behind it.

"You don't need twenty-five ramen packets for snack, especially when you had no pots to cook it in." Kakashi said.

"Tou-chan is right, Naruto." Sakura said then her eyes widened at what she had said.

Kakashi froze, his chopsticks half way to his still covered mouth. His revealed eye darted from Sakura to Naruto to Sasuke, then to Lee. Slowly, he felt his face grow hot under his mask and his heart pounded in his chest.

Then Lee began to laugh. He held his stomach then grinned at Kakashi, "Well, Otto, it seems our kittens are being roudy."

Kakashi fumbled and dropped his chopsticks, his mouth as dry as the desert. That title, husband, he never thought he would hear it, especially from Lee. He never thought that being called that would make it feel like there was fire in his veins either. His mind went to dangerous territory and he wondered if Lee really was the type to use that title. Would he really say Otto if they were married? Maybe he would say Kashi-koi like he used to, or...or would he say _Anata_?

Kakashi swallowed roughly and made himself chuckle to ease the tension but his voice was slightly husky. A quick glance told him that the others hadn't caught it so he crinkled his eye at Lee and said,

"Too true, what ever shall we do with such wild kitties, Tsuma?"

Why was he tormenting himself like this? Calling Lee 'wife'... he couldn't stop himself, even if it was only meant as a joke. Then he saw the pink color of a blush coating Lee's cheeks and he knew that if he wasn't already, he'd be gone on the boy.

Lee looked away, feeling an oddly familiar feeling in his stomach but he couldn't place how at that moment. It made him want to squirm and get closer to Kakashi but he felt that if he did, he might do something dangerous. So instead, he giggled and turned his smile onto Sakura who was bright red and said, "Do not worry, my little bunny. I think Kakashi is a great father figure to have."

Sakura shyly smiled then her smile grew as Naruto grinned and said, "Now we have a Kaa-chan and Tou-chan!"

"Hn." Sasuke mumbled as he just continued eating. Yet, even he kind of had to agree. Kakashi wasn't too bad as a father figure...and there was Lee. Lee was in a league all on his own.

Lee was special.

Finally, they all got back to eating and sooner than they'd like, they were done and heading out the door. Naruto was the first to say goodbye, saying, "We'll be back sooner than you think, Tou-chan!"

It lead Sakura into saying, "Don't worry about us too much, Tou-chan!"

Which made Sasuke huff a chuckle but he just said, "See you later, old man."

Still, all of it made an almost unbearable warmth grow in Kakashi's chest. He waved, his throat closing on him as he couldn't bring himself to say anything. Then he saw Lee being the last to leave. A cold fear dropped into his stomach at the sight of Lee's bright smile and he knew he wouldn't be seeing it again for a long time. He never despised long missions before.

Knowing the truth about this mission made it worse and his muscles tensed. He couldn't- no, he _didn't_ _want_ to let Lee leave like this. He made a split second decision as the others had already left their sight and moved,

"Lee!"

Lee turned at the quiet but rushed sound of his name and he saw a flash of a handsome face before feeling a soft but firm pressure against his lips. His mind stumbled to a halt and his heart stuttered in his chest. Then the pressure eased and Lee could see Kakashi's _face_. His heart sped in his chest and he felt short of breath.

"...Don't die." Kakashi whispered, still so close to Lee's face like he might steal another kiss.

Kakashi's words jump-started Lee's brain and the sudden affection suddenly made sense. Lee's lips formed a warm smile and he touched Kakashi's bare face.

"Of course I will not. We will all come back...we are family after all." Lee whispered back, a soft giggle in his voice. He didn't want Kakashi to worry so he made his voice playful and teased, "I am afraid that you are stuck with us, Otto."

Then he pulled Kakashi's mask back up for him and left.

Naruto asked him what took him so long but Lee shook his head. Kakashi's bare face was a treat just for himself for now and he wouldn't expose the weakness Kakashi had showed him.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee walked with his kittens to the Konoha gate leading outside the walls. His lips tingled persistently with the memory of the kiss but for as long as Mother stayed asleep, he forced himself not to look any further into it. It might have been purely out of worry for all he knew and not something more. Would he mind if it was something more? Kakashi knew about the others...right? Did that mean he was okay with it?

Wait, did Kakashi know of the others? He couldn't really remember a time where Kakashi saw him with Shikamaru or Gaara. Lee shook his head and forced his mind to the present. He would think about it when he came back to Konoha.

Luck had it that Lee focused back on the present right when they saw Jiraiya waiting for them.

"That the pervert?" Sasuke spoke up, looking at Naruto and Lee.

"Yeah, that's the guy I saw." Naruto said as Lee nodded.

Sakura grimaced and stepped a little closer to Lee who reached out and gently stroked her hair.

"Alright Kittens, let us go." Lee said, leading the three to the Sannin.

Jiraiya turned as they got closer. His arms were crossed and he was slightly frowning. Still, he made introductions by saying, "My name is Jiraiya. I'll be your team captain for this mission. Let's get going."

And with that, they were leaving Konoha.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

They were coming upon the next town a day later. The sun was high in the sky, warming the ground beneath them, and as soon as Lee saw the town, he noticed that it was in the middle of a festival. Then Jiraiya spoke up.

"I'll be gathering information on my own." He said and Lee turned a 'polite' smile onto the older man.

"We will go enjoy ourselves then."

Jiraiya frowned but nodded anyway, then he said only loud enough for Lee to hear, "Spike your chakra if you run into trouble."

"I have no need for your faulty protection, Toad Sage." Lee bit out, still smiling, and keeping his voice quiet as well. He watched the irritation flash over Jiraiya's face along with something else and felt a private sense of glee. He turned to the others and said in a genuinely happy tone,

"Let us go, Kittens. Our job now is to enjoy the festival."

"Yay!" Sakura jumped immediately followed by Naruto who looked just as excited.

"We must all stay together though, so no running off." Lee added and was happy when his kittens readily agreed.

Lee purred then laughed as Sakura took the lead, getting them to follow her to keep up. The following three hours felt beyond nice. They ate festival food and played the games -even though they were over-qualified for them-. Naruto won Sakura a bunny stuffed animal and Sakura won a fox for Naruto, telling him that he was their trickster fox. Naruto almost cried but he turned the happy feeling into getting Sakura to help him win a wolf for Sasuke -which they did all too easily-.

Lee laughed hard at Sasuke's dumbfounded expression when Sakura and Naruto presented the plush animal to him, but Lee knew -just like Naruto and Sakura- that Sasuke was happy underneath his scowl.

-He took the animal and Lee saw him carefully put it away in his pouch for safe keeping.-

Somehow, the few moment's Lee wasn't paying attention to his kittens, they managed to band together and win another plushie. He had turned with the snacks he'd bough for the for of them and his eyes had widened when he saw a stuffed cat that was as big as Naruto. All three of them held it out to him and Lee felt his entire being soften. He took the gift and promised to put it somewhere in the house where everyone could see it.

He sealed it to keep it safe and did the same to the other toys they'd won.

"Alright." Lee said as they finished their snack of Takoyaki, "Let us pause for a while and find an Inn to stay at."

"I saw one a little while back." Sasuke said, a slight smile on his lips and his entire pose relaxed, just like Naruto and Sakura -though they were full on grinning-.

"Lead the way then." Lee said with a soft smile, offering his hand. He watched Sasuke's cheeks turn red but the boy still took Lee's hand and began walking. Lee giggled and looked back at Naruto and Sakura. He offered his other hand and Naruto was the one to grab it, using his other hand to take Sakura's.

Lee could say with complete confidence that he loved his life right then. Even with not having everyone he cared about with him, he still had his kittens and that made everything better. So he was smiling the entire time they walked back to the Inn Sasuke had seen. But when they saw the front entrance, Lee noticed something odd.

The street they were on was...empty.

Lee looked around and saw no one else there. It made his shoulders tense and he briefly squeezed Sasuke and Naruto's hands. They stopped but before Lee could urge them on, a voice spoke up from behind them.

"Oi, it's the blond one, right Itachi-san?"


	28. Chapter 28

"Oi, it's the blond one, right Itachi-san?"

All all four of them tensed but it was Lee who felt like his heart dropped into his stomach. He slowly turned his head, feeling nausea crawl up his throat. Two men stood there, a large man with blue skin and a pale man with red eyes just like Sasuke's Sharingan but different and _familiar_. Lee felt his mouth dry at the sight of those black cloaks with red clouds on it and a fear he didn't even know he had was realized. He stared right at Uchiha Itachi and it really was...

"A-Angel?" But his voice had been too quiet even though he _knew_ Itachi had heard him, even if it was just by reading his lips. Yet Itachi didn't say _anything_.

"Hard to believe that such a child carries the nine-tailed fox." The blue one said and Lee felt his heart squeeze in his chest to the point it was hard to _breath_ e.

"Naru, get behind me." Lee said, his voice firm despite how much he felt like crying. Mother wasn't even saying anything either! Where was she?! He _needed_ her!

"K-" Naruto began even as he did as Lee said but cut himself off before he could get the first syllable out. He knew he should do something, but he didn't know what and those two _knew what he was_.

Lee saw that both Sakura and Sasuke were trembling but for different reason's. Sasuke was glaring at Itachi with pure hatred and Sakura had her shaking fists up, ready to do whatever she could even if she knew it was almost useless.

"It's been a long time...Sasuke" Itachi said, looking down on Sasuke.

" _Itachi_." Sasuke hissed, his eyes blazing red as his hands curled into fists. He shifted slightly, his body moving in front of Lee and closer to Sakura.

"Well, the sharingan, and he looks an awful lot like you. Itachi, who is this kid?" Kisame sounded too amused to Lee's ears, like he was _laughing_ at them.

"He's my younger brother."

"That's strange. Cause the way I hear it, the whole Uchiha clane was wiped out...by you" Kisame added, the amusement growing.

Lee swallowed hard, feeling like ice just dropped into his stomach.

"Bastard!" _Sakura_ shouted, her green eyes alight with angry fire. Her shaking slowly stopped and though she knew that the two in front of her were stronger than what she could handle, she still shouted, "You don't deserve to be Sasuke's brother! He is our family now, not yours!"

Lee felt proud, of course he did, but Sakura's words made the two look at her and Kisame began to chuckle. Lee reached out, grabbing both Sasuke and Sakura's wrists and pulling them back as he took a few steps back as well, making Naruto do the same.

"Sasuke." Lee murmured, making the boy twitch, "I need you to take Sakura and get Jiraiya."

Sasuke's head whipped around and he looked ready to argue but Lee continued, "If you do not then I cannot guarantee that we will get away unscathed. One will stay for Naruto, the other might try to follow and I will stop them."

Then Lee looked at Sasuke instead of Itachi and whispered, "Please."

Sasuke looked stricken but then he nodded sharply. He took a deep breath and looked a little more collected despite the fact he continued to shake, "D-Don't you _dare_ die." he said then in the next moment, everything seemed to go too fast.

Sasuke gripped Sakura's hand and they immediately began to run. Lee saw _Itachi_ move and Lee met him before he could go after the two, his heart in his throat. Then Kisame took advantage and went for Naruto and oh Kami his heart was beating too hard in his chest and-

" _ **Do not touch my kitten!**_ " Lee shouted, his eyes changing and he made to go after Kisame who had one hand on Naruto's shoulder but arms wrapped around him. One pinning his arms to his sides and the other covering his eyes. There was one slit between _Itachi's_ fingers that he could barely see through and he took the chance.

"Kisa-" Itachi's -heavenly, haunting, _utterly destroying_ \- voice came but Lee opened his mouth and called one one the few things his demonic power granted him.

He spat fireballs at the damn _fish_.

"Shit!" Lee could hear Kisame and he hoped that he hadn't hit Naruto on accident.

It _stung_ that Itachi was stopping him. Itachi remembered him, he must have! Lee couldn't bare thinking that his angel had forgotten him but it hurt even more that his angel was in the group that was hunting others like _him_.

How _could_ he!?

 _How dare he_!?

To his horror, Lee felt tears spill over, coating his cheeks and Itachi's hand. He felt Itachi's hands twitch but was blinded by betrayal. He grit his teeth and shouted, " _ **Get off me!**_ " as he made his body erupt in flames.

Itachi was forced to let go and jumped back as Le whipped around to face him. His hair floated from the heat of his flames and his tears evaporated the moment they touched his skin.

" _ **Traitor!**_ " Lee tried not to sob but his voice cracked and he glared at Itachi, feeling nothing but pain.

"Kaa-chan!" Naruto called out, his voice tight and Lee turned on his heel, tackling Kisame away from his child.

Kisame grunted in pain, almost shouting, but refused. He gripped Lee's flaming shoulder with one hand and his sword in the other. Despite the size of Samehada, he was able to slam the 'blade' against Lee's side. Lee yelped in pain and felt his chakra begin to drain. He forced himself out of Kisame's grip and jumped away, landing in front of Naruto. His flame extinguished and he shuddered. He blinked, his eyes still changed but hidden for now.

"I'll deal with the boy. You deal with the demon holder." Itachi said, as if...as if Lee wasn't one as well.

But...Itachi _knew_. Lee knew he did. Lee hadn't hid it the time he spent with the older Uchiha. Unless he really did forg- no, Lee couldn't think like that right now, not with- not when-.

Lee pulled back his lips, baring his sharp teeth at both.

"Gotcha." Kisame said, pulling Samehada back onto his shoulder.

" _ **I will not let you harm even a hair on his head.**_ " Lee hissed but Kisame only laughed.

"You sure you want to take on that one, Itachi-san? I'll be glad to fight them." Kisame said, his own shark teeth bared in a bloodthirsty grin.

"No, remember our mission." Itachi said, voice calm and almost bored with how blank it was.

It _hurt_ to hear.

They stepped forward but before they could get two steps, smoke erupted from between Lee and the Akatsuki members. It cleared away quickly and in it's place was Jiraiya. Lee's eyes widened then they narrowed.

" _ **You took your sweet time, Toad Sage.**_ " He said.

"Well I had a little trouble on the way." Jiraiya said, sounding half irritated and half genuinely apologetic.

It surprised Lee enough that he just mumbled, " _ **Well...I suppose better late than never.**_ "

Jiraiya looked at Lee with his brows raised then chuckled. He wanted to say something but held it back, knowing now wasn't the time to joke since Lee still seemed to hate him -even if it didn't seem as much as before-. So instead, he turned to their enemies and said,

"Coming after them when I'm occupied. It's obvious. You're after Naruto."

Itachi slowly turned his gaze onto Jiraiya then began speaking, "That explains how Kakashi knew."

' _Kakashi?!_ ' Lee jerked at the name and suddenly felt like he was going to throw up. Was Kakashi okay? Who did he fight against?! Oh Kami, and they only just left yesterday...

"Now I understand...He learned from you." Itachi said, "You're right. Naruto is the prize the Akatsuki are after... And we will have him."

"No way you're getting Naruto." Jiraiya said, "Actually, this works out for me. Now I can eliminate you both."

The nausea was back and no matter how betrayed Lee felt, he didn't _want_ Itachi to die. Could Jiraiya win against two S-class nin anyway? Most likely, but Naruto was here and they had to protect him. So with bile threatening to come up, Lee locked away all his feelings for Itachi and forced himself to view him as a nameless and faceless enemy.

" _ **No, take Naruto and get out of here. I will keep them busy.**_ " Lee said

"Hell no!" Jiraiya immediately rejected that idea, "It's either you run with him or we all leave together. There is no way I'm leaving you behind!"

Lee's eyes widened and for a moment -despite how ill timed it was- he felt his heart skip. He looked at Jiraiya in surprise but in the end, didn't really say anything. Instead, he just moved so Naruto was behind him completely and said, "Alright. On your mark then."

Jiraiya nodded and Kisame shifted, a too excited grin on his face at the upcoming 'battle'. Itachi stood there, his red eyes on Lee but his face gave nothing away. Jiraiya opened his mouth but before he could say a thing, Sasuke and Sakura burst from the bushes and everything went to hell.

Lee could barely keep track of anyone besides Sasuke who was _too close_ to the 'faceless' man. He put himself between the two and attacked with single minded focus, just trying to keep Sasuke from danger. There were explosions courtesy of what he guessed was either Jiraiya of Naruto and Sasuke's combined wind and fire jutsu. He was more inclined to believe it was Jiraiya as he saw lightening spark from newly soaked ground, a combo attack Sakura and Sasuke had been perfecting.

Lee just fought and fought, desperate to drive the black and red cloaks back with nothing happening to his kittens. He felt something trail down his cheeks and didn't know if it was blood or tears or even a mixture of the two. There was a whisper of a name he _didn't want to hear_ as his body fell back on old habits. He locked his mind up even tighter and just let his body move. His fighting habits from before Konoha never left him as before meeting Naruto, he'd still been sent on dangerous missions and it was those habits -and something he didn't want to see at the moment- that kept him from being too seriously injured as he fought the 'faceless' missing-nin.

Then, as fast as it had started, it was over.

The 'faceless' missing-nin called his partner back and they ran before Jiraiya could catch them.

Lee was panting as he stared at an empty space but he couldn't let himself think just yet. Instead, he turned to his kittens and looked them all over. Sakura was holding her sluggishly bleeding side and Sasuke cradled a broken wrist -their worst injuries since they were covers in superficial cuts-, Naruto on the other hand, had already healed. Lee walked over to them and double checked just to make sure. He closed his eyes for a moment in relief before opening them and _slapping_ _Sasuke_.

All three of them froze and Sasuke stared to the side in shock before slowly turning his hurt gaze back onto Lee. He opened his mouth but nothing came out.

" _Idiot_!" Lee hissed, his eyes burning again, "You complete and utter _idiot_!"

Sasuke's eyes widened further and his expression looked half indignant and half still hurt before he tried to block it all off. He felt betrayed that Lee hit him and it felt like something in his was starting to die only for him to freeze again as Lee pulled him into a desperate hug. Then everything was confusing but he quickly forgot his hurt and the sting of -false- betrayal as he noticed that Lee was shaking.

"L-Lee?" He stuttered, raising his uninjured arm to hover over Lee's back.

"What would you have done if he got to you!?" Lee almost sobbed, "You _stupid boy_ , you could have been _killed_! Do not _ever_ do that again!"

"But-!"

" _No_!" Lee cut Sasuke off and pulled away, gripping his shoulders. He knew he was crying again but it didn't matter. He _needed_ Sasuke to understand, "Do not do that to me, _please_! I cannot-...I cannot lose you... _any_ of you."

Lee bowed his head, closing his eyes tightly as he tried to stop crying. It didn't work and he hiccuped little sobs as he had been so _scared_ that he'd lose one of his kittens. Suddenly, he felt Sasuke move and he was being hugged by the boy, both arms wrapped around his shaking body.

"...I'm sorry." Sasuke mumbled into Lee's shoulder, hugging him as tightly as he could.

"Kaa-chan..." Naruto said and he was the next to move, resting his cheek against the back of Lee's shoulder as he hugged them both, "You won't lose us. I promise."

Then it was Sakura, hugging them as well on Lee's opposite side, echoing Naruto. She hid her own tears in Lee's black fabric and nuzzled Lee's shoulder hard. "We're family remember? So you won't lose us, you're stuck with us, forever!"

Lee laughed even as he continued to cry and he hugged them all, holding his kittens tight to his body. "I-I hope t-that is a promise." he said, his emotions still haywire enough to make him stutter.

"Of course it is. You lost your chance to be rid of us a long time ago." Sasuke said, voice still slightly muffled from how his face was buried in Lee's collar but still audible.

It made Lee's lips turn up in a shaky smile and he closed his eyes, "Good...I love you all so very much..." he whispered before everything suddenly went dark and he slumped in their grasp.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Waking was quick, one moment there was nothing then suddenly feeling -he was on a bed with warmth surrounding him- and sound -He could hear crickets- came back to him. Lee took in a deep breath and he could smell his kittens: fire and ash -Sasuke who was to his left-, citrus like oranges -Naruto, right side-, and strawberries and the cherry blossoms she was named after -Sakura, on top of him-. He could smell sage a little bit away as well and when he opened his eyes he saw Jiraiya in another bed, sleeping.

Lee blinked, and for a while, he was confused as to how he got there and what he'd been doing before.

Then it came back and suddenly the 'faceless' man wasn't so faceless anymore.

Lee's breath hitched and he _needed_ to leave. He slowly got out of Sakura's hold and placed her in the middle of the boys before going to the window and opening it. He jumped out, not caring for his bare feet or lack of weapons. He felt like he was _suffocating_ as he ran and the fight ran through his head.

Itachi blowing fire at him.

Itachi throwing kunai at him.

But most of all, he _remembered_...

Itachi called him _Kitty_.

Lee stumbled and fell to his knee's, panting and almost sobbing again. He didn't even notice that he'd been crying until tears dripped onto his now bare hands. His body shook as he cried and despite now being in the forest surrounding the small town, he tried to keep quiet.

He curled in to himself and gasped for air, choking on his own tears. He felt like he was _dying_ and like everything he worked towards was for _nothing_. Itachi was the reason he went to Konoha! Itachi was the reason he tried!

How could he do that?! How could he, how could he, how could he!

Just a few feet away Jiraiya stepped into the clearing and froze, staring at Lee, unknowingly stopping someone else. For the first time, it registered in Jiraiya's mind how young Lee was and it was only emphasized by how small he looked. He could hear Lee mumbling something but couldn't make out the words. Hesitantly, he went over and knelt by the boy and touched Lee's shoulders.

"D-do not t-touch me!" Lee shouted, smacking Jiraiya's hand away, ashamed and _hurt_. Then he made a sound of agony and curled towards the ground.

"Why... Why, why, why, _WHY_!?" Lee screamed into the woods.

Itachi _crushed_ him with his actions. Attacking his kittens and trying to take one away from him. Even worse, Matatabi wasn't trying to help him, she wasn't _talking_ to him or even _trying_! For the first time in his life he felt alone and it _terrified_ him. The two people he thought he could count on no matter what had abandoned him.

"How could you do this to me, Angel..." Lee asked the empty woods, his voice ragged and broken. Then he fell silent, body shaking with silent sobs.

Jiraiya stared and no matter how he tried, he wasn't unaffected. His chest hurt at how Lee looked and sounded. He didn't know what happened or why Lee was like this but he couldn't ignore it. So he reached out and pulled the boy into his arms. Lee struggled at first but it was weak and Jiraiya knew it was halfhearted too, it was only a few moments before Lee settled and just cried into his shirt instead.

Jiraiya held Lee tight to his chest, just letting the boy cry until he felt like dead weight in his arms. Jiraiya looked down and saw that Lee's red-rimmed eyes were closed. He was asleep...but even sleep didn't erase the sad look from his face. Jiraiya swallowed hard, hugging Lee tight again. He stood and made his way back to the Inn to put Lee back to bed.

Though...he didn't think he would ever forget the look of pure despair on Lee's face for a very, very long time.

Two minutes after Jiraiya left with Lee in his arms, a shadowed figure stepped out of the tree-line. Red eyes stared at the area Lee had been then closed in pain.

"...Kitty..."


	29. Chapter 29

Morning light woke Lee up. There was a phantom ache in his eyes, like he knew they should hurt but they didn't. His healing had done its job and any pains where gone. He took a deep breath then let his gaze roam. His eyes settled on his kittens -in their same position from before he left. Either Jiraiya had done it or they moved towards his familiar warmth.- then he looked past their sweet features and stared at Jiraiya who had his eyes closed.

He stared for longer than he wanted to admit.

Finally, Lee breathed out a soft sigh and slipped out of bed again. He felt slightly restless. As he made his way to the window again, he looked at Jiraiya again. The older man was staring back. For a moment, his heart jumped, but not in an unpleasant way.

Lee looked away.

"Lee...?" Jiraiya called out quietly

Lee felt his insides squirm pleasantly. Still, he answered, "I feel the need to clear my head, so I am going to go for a walk."

Jiraiya said nothing. Lee looked out the window, placing his hand on the window frame. He stayed silent for a while before deciding something and looking back at Jiraiya. The man was still staring, silently waiting.

Lee smiled.

It surprised the man. Only obvious by the subtle widening of his eyes. Lee smiled a little wider, shyly turning his head away.

"Thank you." He murmured

Then he left, jumping out the window just as he did the night before. He landed on silent feet and despite being barefoot, went for his walk. He idly played with his hair, unwrapping it from its braid and smoothing it down until the waves looked perfect. He breathed in the fresh air, closing his eyes as he easily avoided bumping into anything.

He let his feet take him where ever they wanted.

It was nice, just walking and not thinking of anything, but of course he couldn't keep that up. His thoughts eventually wandered to his Angel and he felt his eyes prick with tears again.

He made himself think on the battle, forcing himself to remember like a detached observer.

Yes, Itachi did remember him, it barely made up for what he was trying to do. He was part of the organization that was trying to capture him, Gaara, and Naruto. Kisame didn't know who he was, or, Lee didn't think he did. He didn't try to attack him at all and never spoke once about Mother.

Mother...she still wasn't talking. He could feel her there, in the back of his mind but...she was still asleep...

Lee shook his head, he couldn't think of it. That was worse than everything else and if he did, he might start crying again.

Lee took in a shuddering breath and pushed his thoughts back to the battle. He was about to go over it again when he felt a familiar flare of chakra. His eyes snapped open and immediately, he noticed that he was in front of the town entrance. He stared out into the forest, his heart slowly sped up in his chest and he swallowed roughly. Did he want to go...?

Yes...he dearly wanted to.

Lee slowly began walking into the forest, mouth dry and heart pounding in his chest. He followed the small pulses of chakra sent his way and soon, came upon the one sending them.

Itachi sat at the base of a tree, leaning against it and already staring at him with those red eyes.

Lee felt the tears prick his eyes and hated it. He _hated_ crying, and he hated how he still wanted to go over and curl against Itachi's side despite what had happened the day before. It had been so long since that short month he spent with the man...four years, he'd been ten.

-He still remembered how cold it was, December wind numbing his body. How bright his blood looked against the white of the snow. Mindlessly walking back to the only place he had as a 'home', even if that 'home' meant a cage.

He'd been wondering if it was worth it. Worth going back when the snow was starting to look so soft and comfortable. He'd just laid down, Mother oddly quiet in his mind, when he heard the sound of snow crunching under sandals. He hadn't moved, just laid there, slowly breathing and welcoming the pleasant numbness the cold gave him.

Black sandals appeared in his vision and he'd slowly blinked but the will to move just wasn't there. He'd slowly looked up and saw red eyes set on a heavenly face. He'd smiled and thought it nice that such a beautiful demon had come to drag him to hell. Accepting it, he'd closed his eyes instead of fighting. Then he'd heard Mother whisper 'Goodnight' to him just before sleep had taken him.

Yet when he woke, it wasn't on hell but in a warm bed.

It hadn't been a demon but a fallen angel.-

Lee took in a shaky breath and stood there, waiting.

Itachi spoke first, his voice still like a drug to Lee's ears.

"They don't know who Matatabi belongs to."

Lee's heart stuttered in his chest and his breath hitched, but he didn't move. His hands were shaking so he wrapped his arms around himself, gripping his hips tightly. Itachi continued.

"I need my Otouto to hate me so he won't go after the people who are the real reason our clan is gone and far more dangerous..."

Lee swallowed hard, his heart stuttering in his chest again. He'd taken a few steps toward Itachi without even noticing. He hugged himself harder and his voice was strained as he said, "B-but...All of them...they are all my _kittens_... _Mine_." he hated how it sounded like he was going to cry, "You-" his voice broke and he clamped his mouth shut.

"I knew the Toad Sage was going to be here."

Lee felt his legs shake and he stumbled closer, his eyes burning with tears. He was going to cry again. His heart was beating so fast and if what Itachi was saying was a lie, he didn't think he could survive. He bit his lip, drawing blood, and Itachi stared at him.

Then Itachi said, in a low, sad tone, "I've missed you, Kitty."

A whine left Lee's lips and his legs crumpled underneath him. Tears streamed down his cheeks and he covered his face with his hands, crying. His body trembled and he hiccuped, "A-angel, angel, angel!"

Arms wrapped around him and pulled him against a firm chest. He clung to Itachi, pressing his face hard against the older man's chest. The arms tightened and Lee could hear Itachi whisper that he was sorry and it made his heart skip. Lee pressed closer, instinctively moving until he was curled up in Itachi's lap. Itachi whispered apologies over and over until Lee was practically trying to merge with the man.

Finally, Lee pulled away, still slightly hiccuping as he said, "Y-You are s-so mean, Angel! I w-was s-so scared!"

Itachi didn't say anything, only pulled Lee close again, surrounding him completely. Lee was still so small, he'd noticed it when he covered Lee's changed eyes. It made him feel guiltier. Seeing Lee...Lee had grown to be...beautiful. Tears didn't change that and the agony he'd seen, _heard_ last night had made his heart squeeze hard enough that he almost fell to his knees.

It took a while before Itachi began to speak again. He told the truth even though he knew it was dangerous, even though he knew he shouldn't. It would put Lee in danger but...Lee already was with being _what_ he was. At least this way, he could assure Lee.

He told Lee about how he was spying on the Akatsuki. He was Jiraiya's informant whenever possible. He also said that no one knew who Matatabi belonged to, only the name Ikiryou.

"I'll do everything I can to make sure they don't find out." Itachi promised in his quiet low tone.

Lee sniffled, looking up at Itachi with glassy eyes then he closed them as he felt a warm hand touch his cheek. He knew, even as Itachi gave him his reasons, that he'd already forgiven the man. Of course he did, he was his Angel.

Lee sniffled again then turned his face into Itachi's hand and kissed his rough palm.

"I have missed you too, Angel." Lee finally confessed, "I always knew we would meet again, no matter how long it took. We made a promise, sealed it even...and even though it was...horrible, I am now so very glad."

Lee gave a trembling laugh, "I am so _happy_ to see you and know that you care, that you are not trying to kill my kittens."

Itachi smiled softly though he still hated what he had to do. His stroked his thumb over Lee's soft cheeks then whispered, "Konoha?"

Lee felt his cheeks pink. He opened his eyes and looked up at Itachi as he nodded and said, "I allowed myself to be taken by them when I remembered yours." A shy smile crossed his lips and he reached up to touch Itachi's slashed through hiate-ate, "Any place that made you could not be bad..."

Itachi's smile grew slightly and he chuckled lowly. It made Lee's heart skip and reminded him that Itachi still hand one arm around his waist and a hand cupping his cheek. He didn't want it to stop though.

"I'm glad" Itachi said, "Though I am surprised that you are so close to my Otouto."

"Yes, my little wolf," Lee spoke fondly, "At first I wasn't but...he was a lonely little boy and so funny. He grew on me and I love him dearly. It is thanks to my kittens that I know love like that now." Then Lee's felt his heart skip again but this time in excitement, "Now they can be your kittens too, Angel. Just say the word and we can all be together. I know they will accept it if you tell them the truth! And we can make sure Sasuke stays safe!...They can be _our_ kittens and we can protect them _together_."

Itachi's eyes widened slightly then slowly softened. He leaned down and pressed their foreheads together, his nose slightly brushing against Lee's with every movement, "I wish that could happen Kitty..." Itachi whispered, allowing his voice to show his longing, "but it can't. Konoha is in danger- everyone is in danger thanks to the Akatsuki. I can't abandon my mission now."

"Angel, you are too _kind_." Lee whispered in a strained tone, expression sad but...he understood. He understood Itachi's desire and he wouldn't go against it despite how much he wanted to. So he instead said, "Can we...can we promise to meet again though? A better meeting next time, one where we get to be together for a long time."

"Kitty-"

" _Please_?" Lee asked, looking up, eyes once again shiny with tears. His heart was pounding in his chest as he said, "I-...I _love_ you. I love you more than anyone else and even if you do not love me the same, I still want to see you. You are _everything_ to me and I will take anything you give me...so please... _please_ , Itachi..."

Itachi stared, frozen at Lee's words. His own heart skipped more beats than it should have and he knew it was wrong, so wrong.

Itachi's thumb resumed stroking Lee's cheek and his other hand lifted to do the same to Lee's other cheek.

"You really have grown..." He said, a smile slowly curving his lips as he heard Lee's breath hitch, "Alright. I promise, we will meet again and...we will have much more time together, alone." it was the least he could do, even if he knew he shouldn't. But he was already holding so much of himself back as all he wanted to do was-

Suddenly he was forced back and Lee was _kissing_ him. It made him freeze then something inside him broke and he kissed Lee back, holding the boys' face and deepening it. He shouldn't, it was wrong for so many reasons, most of all...because of his illness, but...for once, he wanted to be selfish.

He _wanted this_.

So he tangled his fingers into Lee's hair and deepened their kiss even more, teasing Lee's mouth open and taking what he wanted. Lee's whimpers and mewls teased his ears and he could feel the boy cling to him. It was enticing and cute at the same time, he could barely _stand_ it.

Lee felt drunk from Itachi's lips and tongue. He slowly shifted until he was on his knees, pressing himself completely against Itachi's body as he slowly wrapped his arms around Itachi's shoulders. He opened himself to anything Itachi did, eagerly giving back everything Itachi gave. He felt Itachi shift between his legs and mewled again as a firm arm held him tightly. This, _this_ he wanted for forever and more. He loved it and even every soft tug on his hair made shivers run through his body. Anytime felt too soon for this personal heaven to stop.

When Itachi finally did pull away, Lee's dazed and flustered expression almost had him going back in but he held himself back. He knew that there wasn't much time left and they both had to leave soon.

"We need to be going." Itachi said, his voice rougher and lower than normal. It had an obvious affect on Lee as the boy shivered and _whimpered_ at the sound. Itachi was dipping back down to taste Lee's lips again without a thought but he cut it short before he could get carried away again.

"W-we will be meeting again? Soon?" Lee asked, his own voice breathless and soft. It matched how he looked with warm pink cheeks, soft satisfied gaze, and shiny lips.

"As soon and I am able." Itachi promised again then slowly stood, still holding Lee as he did. It made Lee giggle shyly and Itachi smiled at the sound before reluctantly setting Lee onto his feet.

"Then...until we meet again, my Angel. My Itachi." Lee murmured

"Until then." Itachi said then leaned down and whispered right into Lee's ear " _My Lee_ " right before disappearing.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Lee went back to the Inn and found everyone awake and ready. He smiled as his kittens jumped and practically rushed him at his entrance. He laughed at their overlapping questions of where he was and if he was okay. He hugged them all and nuzzled them happily, saying that he'd only went on a walk and that he was okay.

They slowly calmed and less than a half hour later, they were on the road again. Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke walked a little ways in front of him and Jiraiya slowly fell back until they were walking side by side.

"...Are you really okay?" Jiraiya's voice was slightly hesitant but genuine in his concern.

Lee's lips formed a real _happy_ smile as he looked up at the much older man. There was an unnoticed pause in Jiraiya's stride and Lee said, "Yes, Jiraiya. I am so much better now."

Jiraiya's eyes widened slightly and he looked away at the new way Lee addressed him. He scratched at his warm cheeks then began to grin. He looked back at Lee and took a chance.

"That's good. I'm glad,...Lee."

Lee's answer was a brighter smile and Jiraiya rubbed the back of his head, chuckling.

Maybe things wouldn't be so bad after all.


	30. Chapter 30

Being on the road was familiar yet not. Lee still remembered all his years of traveling for the Elders but…it was _different_ with a team. Even with Team Gai it was different but there was a certain sweetness to traveling with his kittens. It would have been better with all of Team Seven

-No, don't start thinking about that. Angel had said _his_ name; if you start thinking then you'll start worrying. Don't you dare.-

Tsunade was tricky to find as each time they thought that they were close, they seemed to be too late.

Still, it wasn't _bad_. Of course he had his kittens but there was also Jiraiya and surprisingly…he liked the man. He was…sweet, when he wanted to be. Yes, Jiraiya was a pervert, that was too obvious but…it seemed small in the scope of his personality. Jiraiya was…

Jiraiya was…

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Lee bit his lip as he was cooking the last of what they had. They had more before but almost all of their food had been destroyed in a battle three days before. To make matters worse, there were practically no animals to hunt for more._

_Lee glanced at the others then slowly sighed. He finished up the food and spooned it into four bowls._

" _Food is done!" Lee said with a subtle cheery tone._

_Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke stood up, coming to him to get their portions. He gave them their bowls with a smile then chuckled as Naruto spoke._

" _Where's yours, Kaa-chan?"_

" _Do not worry, Naru. I ate while cooking." Lee said, feeling slightly bad for lying. Still, he was the one who was intimately familiar with not eating for days -weeks- on end. It made his kittens relax though and that was good enough for him. Then he looked towards Jiraiya and tilted his head slightly in confusion as the older man hadn't moved. He shook his head and grabbed the last bowl, making his way over before holding it out._

" _Here. I promise I did not poison it." Lee said, trying his hand at joking with the Sannin._

_Jiraiya cracked a smile and chuckled. Then he took the bowl and said, "Keep me company?"_

_Lee blinked in surprise then felt an odd sort of nervous energy flutter through him. Still, he smiled and agreed. He sat down next to the man, briefly noting how much bigger Jiraiya was than him. The man covered him completely, blocking anyone from seeing him._

_It was…odd to notice, but it felt nice too. He'd never paid attention to that sort of thing before._

" _Eat." Jiraiya whispered, surprising Lee out of his thoughts. Lee looked up at the man in confusion and a strange expression crossed over Jiraiya's face before it was gone._

" _I know you've been skipping." Jiraiya said, "So eat mine. I'm a grown man, I can go a few days without eating."_

_Lee stared for a while longer, his eyes slightly wide. Then he ducked his head, his lips forming a new kind of smile. He whispered a shy thank you and took the bowl, glad that his kittens couldn't see. He glanced up to see Jiraiya grinning brightly at him and felt warmth rush to his cheeks. He quickly looked down and began eating, trying to ignore his 'oddly timed' blush._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Giving

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

 _It came out of nowhere and honestly, Lee thought people would be less likely to attack them with a Sannin with them. He guessed that having three –technically four- children made it seem like they were easy targets instead. It annoyed and irritated him. The only good thing about being attacked was that it was giving his kittens experience but_ Kakashi _should have been there with them._

_Lee hissed as another ninja threw a kunai at Naruto's unprotected back but Sakura was quick to cover him and knocked it out of the air. Lee wanted to retaliate but instead he let Sakura do it. She whispered 'Water style: Sharp Shooter' instead of shouting and he was proud to see her accuracy. The thin and short burst of water went through the mans' head, killing him instantly._

_Naruto was shooting wind bullets from his mouth, putting more than enough pressure to get rid of their enemies. Lee was proud of him too. They were both able to push away the fact that they were killing and get the job done._

_Then Lee looked at Sasuke. He was the only one that hadn't had a personal kill and Lee still wanted to keep it that way._

_The boy was using wire to gather up the ninja's for Sakura and Naruto. Suddenly, one got free and there were earth spikes coming straight for him. Sasuke was too far away from the others and Lee didn't even think before he was putting on a burst of speed. He gripped Sasuke's shirt and_ threw _him to safety before trying to become as small as possible to avoid taking on more damage than he needed to._

_Only, he didn't feel any pain._

_Lee looked up and saw a wall of stone covering him and his mind skipped a track. Kakashi was the one who knew that jutsu, not his kittens, and not even himself as he never had anyone to protect before coming to Konoha. Lee looked and saw Jiraiya turning away to fight off another person –that was getting too close to Naruto and Sakura-. Lee swallowed roughly, suddenly feeling short of breath._

_Jiraiya was protecting his kittens._

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Protective

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

_Three weeks had passed since they had left Konoha. It was the longest Team Seven had been away and to make themselves feel better, they were sitting on the same bed as Lee, talking about what they'd do when they got back._

" _I'm going to get ramen! It's been a while since I've been to Ichiraku's." Naruto said, grinning as he leaned back on his hands._

"… _We had our first team meal there." Sasuke said, reminiscing. He looked away, slightly embarrassed as Naruto and Sakura grinned at him._

" _Actually, that doesn't sound too bad." Sakura added, "It'd be nice to dine there again. Do you think we should invite the others? Like Team Ten?"_

_They looked at Lee and he giggled, saying, "It is up to you, kittens. I would not mind either way."_

"… _Team outing." Sasuke mumbled, his ears slightly warming._

" _Yeah, and we'll get Kakashi to come too!" Naruto said with a big grin before it suddenly started fading. Sakura's did the same._

"… _Do you think he's okay?" She asked_

_Sasuke tensed up completely and his expression turned strained. Lee looked at them all and closed his eyes for a moment before moving. He settled right next to Sasuke and leaned against him, secretly taking his hand. Sasuke subtly flinched for a moment before squeezing Lee's hand and slightly pressing harder against Lee._

" _Come now…" Lee said in a gentle tone, "It is Kakashi. He is fine." He looked at them all then thought to himself,_

'And if he is not, then that just means we will have to drag the Slug Princess back if need be. She is the best medic-nin, despite her…defaults' _Lee felt the urge to sigh but held it back._

_Jiraiya suddenly got up from his bed and left the room. Lee watched him leave but didn't say anything. Instead, he ushered his kittens to bed, saying that they needed to sleep. They all agreed –even if somewhat reluctant to sleep- and they curled around him in their claimed spots._

_Lee was happy to see that Sasuke didn't even pretend to dislike curling up. It was nice and made his heart feel warm in his chest._

_He loved his kittens so very much._

_The next morning had them leaving the roadside Inn and continue on their mission. They walked for hours before Lee finally gave in to curiosity and he sped up slightly to walk beside Jiraiya._

" _We are not going to Taku village?" He asked. Taku Village was directly northwest and yet Jiraiya was slowly leading them East._

" _I found a better lead." The man said and though Lee felt oddly uncertain, he just nodded._

_They made it to a different town by sunset only to see a festival going on. Just like the one they'd seen the day after they left Konoha. Lee blinked in surprised then heard Jiraiya address them all._

" _Well, I'm going to search around for my contact. Go do whatever, I don't want you to bother me." He said_

_Lee stared at Jiraiya even as Sakura, Naruto, and Sasuke grumbled half-heartedly._

" _What?" Jiraiya said, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow at Lee._

_Lee slowly smiled, warm and happy, "Thank you."_

_Jiraiya jerked slightly, his eyes widening a fraction before he looked away, "I don't know what you're talking about."_

_Lee's smile grew at the lie and he stepped up to Jiraiya. He reached up and gently pulled Jiraiya down, pressing a kiss to the older mans' cheek._

" _Thank you." Lee repeated then he let go and turned to his kittens who were in a circle, trying to decide what to do first. He giggled then looked back at Jiraiya –who was_ blushing _, to his utter delight-, "Come find us when you are done with your 'contact'."_

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

And so _kind_.

Jiraiya was more than he expected, even with how he used to imagine the legendary Sannin. It was…nice. Being on the road for a _month_ with him was enlightening. Lee couldn't help but to be reminded that he spent a month with his Angel too.

So much could happen in that seemingly short but long time.

Now, they were in another town and Lee wondered how much longer it would take to find Tsunade –but he honestly didn't mind if it did take longer.- and if they were close at all.

"I will find us an Inn." Lee said, "Kittens, stay with Jiraiya."

"Find us soon." Sakura said then Naruto added, "Be safe!" while Sasuke pitched in with "We're timing you. You have twenty minutes."

Lee laughed and gave them all kisses before grinning at Jiraiya, "I trust you to keep them out of trouble, or at least, help them run."

Jiraiya chuckled, "Yeah, yeah. I'll keep on the lookout for your chakra. Flare if _you_ get in trouble."

"But trouble is my game, Jira-kun~" Lee teased and felt a giddy rush when Jiraiya looked surprised before full out laughing.

Lee purred to himself and waved goodbye to them all before going on his way.

It wasn't too long before he found a decent Inn that wouldn't call attention to them. He booked the room then went out to find his kittens again. He debated stopping to get a snack for them all when he suddenly felt odd. Like eyes on his back, a danger nearby…someone was following him.

Lee smoothed his expression into an amused smile and chuckled despite wanting to frown. He stopped periodically, glancing at things in the stores that he was vaguely interested in. He took the long way and instead of finding his kittens or Jiraiya, he lead himself to a large open area that had grass and rocks instead of buildings and people. He small valley was good for what he intended.

"So you noticed." A vaguely familiar voice came and Lee slowly turned to look at his 'stalker'. A flash of surprise came but he didn't let it show.

"You…Yakushi Kabuto." Lee said, crossing his arms and tilting his head in a relaxed manner, "Now why would _you_ be following _me_?"

"I'm delighted that you remember me." Kabuto said, smiling, but it was an odd sort of smile that put Lee on edge, "My…master, thought that this would be the best time to see you again."

"Oh? And who is your Master?" Lee slightly frowned. He didn't remember Kabuto talking to or about anyone during the Exams. He only remembered who he stared at Sasuke like…like an interesting experiment, "I do not think we have anyone in common."

"I'm hurt that you don't remember me. Didn't you enjoy my present?"

Lee froze, his heart squeezing for an irrational moment. He swallowed roughly before slowly turning his head to see _him_.

_Orochimaru._


	31. Chapter 31

For a moment, Lee desperately wanted to flare his chakra, to have Jiraiya and his kittens there with him. Maybe the fear would go away then…but it was a foolish thought and he immediately scolded himself for it. It was good that they weren't there with him. That meant his kittens were safe and added that Jiraiya was with them.

"Orochimaru…" Lee murmured, making himself sound vaguely surprised, "I did not expect to see you…or find out that you had a pet."

Lee glanced at Kabuto again as the Snake Sannin chuckled. Kabuto gave him a sharp smile and despite himself, Lee was genuinely amused. He made himself sigh and rolled his shoulders like he was bored. He barely stopped himself from flinching as he suddenly felt Orochimaru's chakra at his back. He let his head loll back and looked up at the man with an eyebrow raised.

"You do so amuse me, little cat." Orochimaru said, his lips forming a slick –sick- smile, "I told you I'd be back for you. I'm here to collect my prize."

"How _sweet_ of you." Lee said, voice vaguely mocking.

Vague…vague, remember to keep it all in, keep it down; everything so infuriatingly _vague_.

"So you have not felt it yet. You are strong willed." Orochimaru said and his voice was _delighted_

It sent a block of ice into his stomach. Felt _what_?!

"A yen for your thoughts?" Lee murmured, "Or am I going to have to wait for the big reveal?"

"I am partial to theatrics." The Snake Sannin said, that sick smile widening. He reached out and Lee automatically grabbed his wrist before the man could touch him. The ice in his stomach spread as the man only chuckled.

"I am looking forward to the day you come to me on your own will." Orochimaru said like a beckoning snake, then he said, "Kabuto" before turning away.

Kabuto made to follow but the moment he was in line with Lee, he paused and whispered something only for Lee's ears, a dark smile upon his lips. It took only a moment before he was gone. Before they were both gone.

Lee stood there for…he didn't even know how long. He stayed frozen until he knew his legs wouldn't fail him if he took a step. He just stared mindlessly into the distance, forcing himself to just _breathe_. Long deep breaths so he wouldn't feel like he was drowning.

_Where was Mother?_

Distantly, he knew too much time had already passed but he knew he wasn't okay. He'd felt the blood practically drain from his body and now he just felt _cold_. A sick feeling was still making his stomach roll and he wasn't confident that he could do anything without giving away his distress.

_Where was Mother?!_

Something finally broke into his retreating mind and he recognized the chakra flares…Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke…and even Jiraiya. His kittens were slightly panicked, most likely just trying to find him and tell him that they were worried. That he'd been gone for much too long.

But Kabuto's words still swirling in his mind and echoing in his ears…

" _I've already made a special box for when you come, Lee-kun. It'll be just like old times…just like Kuma._ "

Lee's legs collapsed underneath him and he threw up.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It took thirty minutes before Lee stopped gagging then another thirty before he finally felt well enough to get up and move. The chakra flares had been steadily getting more panicked but Lee hid his own completely so they wouldn't be able to find him. Even though he felt it was cruel of him to do so, he couldn't let them see him like he was, too pale and sick looking. Instead, he made his way back to the inn and went to the room he got for them all. He cleaned out his mouth with the complimentary mouthwash then turned on the hot water. He let it fill the sink before dipping his face into it. He stayed like that for a minute before pulling back and looking at himself in the mirror.

That was better. He looked better, flushed cheeks from the hot water and a little less sick. It didn't cure him as nausea still swirled in his stomach and threatened to come back up again but at least he _looked_ better.

He closed his eyes and rested his head on the counter, breathing deeply for a few more moments as he slowly counted down from a hundred. He hit sixty-eight when he forced himself to stand and release the tight hold on his chakra, slowly letting it rise to the little amount he always had it at. He took another deep breath then dried his face and his bangs before walking to the bed and sitting down.

Sasuke was first.

He jumped onto the windowsill and paused to just stare. His eyes darting over Lee's body with a desperation akin to fear. Fear that Lee wasn't really there. It made Lee's heart pang with harsh guilt but…it was better than the alternative, much better. So Lee tilted his head and gave the boy a blank smile and said,

"Are you alright?"

Sasuke jerked slightly and he stared at Lee, his eyes slightly wide now. Slowly, he slipped into the room then made his way to Lee. A frown began forming on his lips and his hands clenched into fists.

"Lee-…what happened?!" Sasuke said, his voice strained.

"Ah, sorry Sasu, I fell asleep." Lee gave Sasuke a giggle.

Funny, he forgot how good he was at lying… Why did it make him feel sick too? Lying to one of his kittens- he felt bile try to rise again, but the thought of Sasuke searching Orochimaru and Kabuto out –and he _knew_ Sasuke _would_.- made him feel so cold inside. He could handle the nausea, but he couldn't handle how _empty_ he felt at the thought.

"K-." Sasuke bit his tongue and looked away, "Idiot, you scared the others."

Lee smiled again and this time it was a little more real, "Aw, I am sorry, my little wolf." He leaned up and pulled Sasuke to him. The boy fell onto his body and Lee hugged him tightly, "I did not mean to worry you so much!"

"K-Lee!" Sasuke's face went red and he halfheartedly struggled before giving up –a little too quickly, telling Lee just how much he had been worried. Oh his poor little kitten…- and resting his head on Lee's chest. He slowly wrapped his arms around Lee too, only privately admitting that he had been worrying too. He just didn't want anyone else to suddenly disappear from his life.

Lee purred and hugged Sasuke a little tighter, forcing his body not to shake. He inhaled deeply, taking in Sasuke's personal scent and letting it slowly calm him down. His kitten was there and safe. Orochimaru hadn't gone after him, and his other kittens were safe too, already on their way to the Inn, he could feel it.

Lee inhaled again then slowly began to run his fingers through Sasuke's hair. He bit his lip then whispered in a moment of weakness, "Stay with me…"

"…Lee?"

"Please? Just…never leave me." Lee's voice was strained, he could hear it. Sasuke began to move but he didn't want the boy to see his face so he held him tighter. Sasuke stopped and his own grip tightened as well, his fingers digging into Lee's back.

"…I won't." Sasuke said, almost too quiet to hear, "…So…so you can't leave me either."

"Never." Lee quickly promised and a real though fragile smile curled his lips as Sasuke echoed him.

"Never…"

Lee exhaled shakily with relief, his breath ruffling the spikes of Sasuke's hair. He leaned down and pressed his lips to the back of Sasuke's head. He felt Sasuke twitch slightly then the boy dug his fingers even harder into his back, hugging him tight.

It was enough to make his eyes burn again but he pushed back the urge to cry.

He cried too much already.

"The others will almost be here." Lee warned though he didn't want to let go. His heart skipped as Sasuke merely made a noise and didn't move. Lee laughed breathlessly and he shifted so he was laying down with Sasuke still on him. He closed his eyes, lightly stoking Sasuke's back for his own comfort.

Finally, there was the sound of light thumps and the rest of his kittens were there in the room with Jiraiya on the windowsill.

"Kaa-chan!" Both Naruto and Sakura said, worry and relief coating their tone.

"Hm~" Lee hummed with a slight smile, not bothering to get up, "Sorry kittens, I fell asleep. So did you meet the Slug Princess?" he asked, quickly focusing them on another topic.

Naruto made a sound but Sakura must have done something because she was the one to speak up a moment later.

"Yeah. She's not going to come back though. Not unless Naruto learns a new move called Rasengan."

"Oh? The Fourth's jutsu. I wonder why that one…" Lee murmured, slowly opening his eyes.

"The Fourth's? You mean the Fourth Hokage?" Sasuke spoke up, only slightly shifting his head.

"Yes, he was famous for it. That and his speed, they did call him the Yellow Flash." Lee answered, "But given what Naruto holds, it would be easy to learn. Especially since it is a wind style…" Lee paused and looked at Naruto, "So long as you have the control."

Lee then looked back up at the ceiling, "The only problem is teaching it to you. I do not know the signs or how it even looks."

"That's where I come in." Jiraiya finally spoke up and Lee looked towards him, "I know the jutsu." He added

Lee blinked, then he suddenly remembered. Jiraiya had been The Fourth's Sensei. Lee hummed again, idly playing with Sasuke's hair as Sakura and Naruto sat beside him and leaned rested their heads on his shoulders.

"Jiraiya?" Lee said in a light tone. The older man made a sound and Lee continued, "I am not against Naruto learning this justu, in fact, I would like all my kittens to learn…but tell me your honest opinion…"

Lee paused and his light tone vanished as he slowly said, "Should we just drag her back or listen to her request on the spare chance she will honor it."

There was a telling silence then Jiraiya sighed.

"…Honestly…I don't know. But…" Jiraiya frowned at the ground then looked back at Lee, "Let's try. I want to…to believe her."

"…Okay." Lee closed his eyes again, "Okay…tomorrow, you three will learn Rasengan."

"Okay/Cool/Hn." His kittens said at the same time but they all sounded happy. It made him smile.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

That night while his kittens were all sleeping in bed, Jiraiya pulled Lee away. He looked down at Lee, features tense and hinting at concern. Lee felt worry curl in his stomach but kept a neutral if a little tired expression.

"Yes?" Lee drawled, tilting his head in question.

"…What happened this morning?" Jiraiya wasted no time in asking, eyes intent on Lee's.

"I fell asleep." Lee shrugged, keeping to what he'd said, but Jiraiya's eyes narrowed and the man shook his head.

"If I've learned anything while traveling with you, it's that you wouldn't scare those kids like that and be so…flippant. Not to mention, you don't erase your chakra signature while asleep. Now, what really happened?"

Lee swallowed hard, the worry in his stomach turning his stomach and making him feel nauseous. He bit his tongue and though he knew it would give him away, he couldn't keep _looking_ at Jiraiya. He turned his eyes away and crossed his arms.

"…Lee…" Jiraiya murmured, stepping closer as he put his hand on Lee's arm. His tone was softer as he asked again, "What happened?"

"…Not…not now." Lee whispered, paling as the nauseous feeling grew, "I cannot right now…when we leave. I will tell you, just…not now."

"…" Jiraiya stared at Lee for long moments then sighed. Suddenly, his hand moved to Lee's back and he brought him closer.

"Alright." He said, not saying anything as Lee leaned against his chest, "Alright…" he murmured again.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A week later, Naruto successfully learned Rasengan with Sakura and Sasuke close behind him.


	32. Chapter 32

Another week passed and now that they had Tsunade with them, they were almost back to Konoha instead of trying to find her. Though he said he would talk after they left, Lee hadn't mentioned a thing. He avoided being completely alone with Jiraiya though it slightly hurt him to do so.

He also never once spoke to Tsunade but that was something else entirely.

His little hiding tricks didn't hold up though. With only a days' more travel to get to Konoha, Jiraiya had them rest for the night. Then when everyone was asleep, he cornered Lee and took him a little ways away from the camp site.

The night was deceptively nice. The stars were shining brightly in the sky and the moon was full and big, like one could just reach up to touch it. Even the breeze was warm, brushing against his body and lifting his bangs just slightly.

It made Lee even more nervous, but he knew that this conversation was long overdue.

"Lee…" Jiraiya paused, looking uncertain before sighing, "It's been a week since we left that town." He said, tellingly.

"…I know." Lee said as he sighed as well, but his was more…hopeless, "I told you I would explain when we left…"

"So something really did happen."

"Yes, but you knew that." Lee smiled half amused and half self-depreciating, "It seems that I cannot lie to you, Jira-kun"

Jiraiya's eyes went slightly wide then his ears turned pink. He rubbed his face then said, "Oi, don't try to distract me." With a slight grumble, but he didn't sound mad.

Lee's smile turned happy and he giggled. He crossed his arms over his hips and leaned against a tree. He hummed lightly under Jiraiya's gaze then sighed again, his whole being seeming to just deflate. He hugged himself a little tighter and finally spoke.

"Orochimaru was there."

"What?!" Jiraiya hissed quietly, "He was?! What happened? Are you okay? Why didn't you say anything?!"

Lee blinked in surprise then smiled softly, feeling a little happy at Jiraiya's concern. He licked his lips then continued,

"I am…okay as I can be. They-…they frightened me." He _hated_ admitting it, but it was true, "I did not want my kittens to know and…the meeting was too fresh. I-…I wanted to get _away_ from there first."

Jiraiya didn't say anything; only put a hand on Lee's arm, just like he did two weeks ago. It helped Lee to continue.

"I noticed that someone was following me so I went to an open area. That is where Kabuto, Orochimaru's _lackey_ showed himself. He kept me distracted until Orochimaru came. He…he…he wants me to join him. I know that much." Lee whispered, his hand slowly going up to the _curse_ Orochimaru left on his body, "How he was talking…I think this curse mark is different."

Lee wanted to say more, but his mouth wouldn't move. Deep inside, he was irrationally scared that Jiraiya would take his kittens away from him if he said more. Then Jiraiya squeezed his arm and leaned down so they were face to face.

"Hey…" He whispered, "Everything is going to be okay. Me and the Hokage, we won't let anything happen to you."

Lee felt his heart thump hard and his eyes burned with tears but this time he felt… _happy_. He moved without thinking and hugged Jiraiya tightly, wrapping his arms around the older man's shoulders. He shut his eyes, pressing his face into Jiraiya's shoulder. He bit his lip hard then shivered as he felt strong arms slowly pull him hard against a firm chest. He rubbed his face against Jiraiya's shoulder, inhaling the mans' scent and locking it into his memory.

"…Thank you." Lee whispered, just loud enough for the man to hear and the hug got tighter.

He didn't know how long he stayed like that, feeling comfortable and _warm_ in Jiraiya's arms. Still, he couldn't stay forever and he made himself pull away. He took in a deep breath of Jiraiya's scent again then smiled at the man.

"Really…thank you, Jiraiya. You are…you are…" Lee chuckled to himself then said, "You are everything yet nothing like I thought you would be…and I am happy to have gotten to know you."

Jiraiya felt his cheeks warm and grumbled slightly with pleased embarrassment. He put his hand on Lee's back and said, "Come on, let's get back to camp. I'll keep watch."

"Okay."

They made their way back and just like Jiraiya said, he took first watch and Lee went to sleep. The next day, they made it to Konoha at noon. Team Seven along with Lee and Jiraiya brought Tsunade to Sarutobi but when they got there, they finally learned what happened a month ago.

"What do you mean Kakashi's in the hospital, Old man?!" Naruto blurted as Sarutobi told them what happened.

Sarutobi sighed, "Kakashi was put under a Tsukiyomi and he hasn't woken up since the fight a month ago." He repeated then looked at Tsunade, "I know you have just gotten here-"

"Don't worry about it. I'll give him a look." Tsunade said, her lips pulled down in a slight frown. Then she turned on her heel, "We can continue after I take a look, that good?"

"Of course." The Hokage said, then he smiled, "It is good to see you again, Tsunade."

Tsunade made a noise and held up her hand as she left.

Lee stared and had to lock his body down so he wouldn't run after her. Kakashi…Kakashi really was hurt. He hadn't let himself think about it for the entire trip but now… Lee bit the inside of his cheek until he could taste blood. He forced his gaze back onto the still current Hokage and distantly recognized that his kittens were fidgeting. They wanted to go as well.

Sarutobi smiled, amused but sad at the same time, "Go, Jiraiya can inform me of how everything went."

"Thank you." Naruto, Sakura, and Sasuke said as Lee just bowed his head.

Then they were gone, all rushing to the hospital.

By the time they made it to Kakashi's room, Tsunade and Shizune were already there. Tsunade placed a glowing green hand on Kakashi's head and within a few moments, Kakashi woke up. Lee felt his heart leap in his chest even as Tsunade 'teased' Kakashi. Then, Tsunade and Shizune left.

Sakura moved first. She rushed to the bed and threw herself onto Kakashi, hugging him. Naruto did the same only a second after. Sasuke only stepped closer to Lee, the tenseness he had since hearing about Kakashi fading.

Lee stayed still, staring at Kakashi's exhausted form.

"Idiot! Idiot, idiot, idiot!" Sakura said, slightly beginning to sniffle already, "You're…How could you let yourself get so injured without us here!?"

"You can't fight anyone without us anymore!" Naruto added, eyes slightly shiny even as he looked completely serious.

Kakashi blinked and stared at them both before looking towards Lee for help. He jerked slightly and froze in panic as he saw that Lee's eyes were glassy with unshed tears.

"Idiot." Lee said, voice slightly strained even as he fought to keep his expression neutral. A warm hand circled his own and he knew it was Sasuke. He squeezed Sasuke's hand gently in thanks and took in a deep breath.

"I am going to find our friends and tell them of our return. Get Kakashi home and put him to bed." Lee said, looking at his three kittens. They nodded even as Kakashi tried to stop them. Lee gave Kakashi one last look before turning on his heel and leaving.

Instead of actively searching out Team Ten or even Team Gai, he let his feet go wherever they wanted. Everything was a blur as his thoughts went in circles.

Itachi did that to Kakashi. He didn't know how to feel about it. He knew that Itachi could have _easily_ killed the man so there had to be a reason to only put him in a coma. White noise started ringing in his ears as he suddenly felt so very _tired_.

First they had to leave Konoha to find Tsunade –a drunk with a fear of blood.- but it was also because they had to run from the Akatsuki. The Akatsuki…the organization that Itachi was part of, the ones who were going after the tailed beasts. They might not know who he was but they knew that Naruto was one. They would come after his kitten _again_. Then there was _Orochimaru_ and his damn _curse mark_. What was different about his curse compared to Anko's? What hadn't happened yet? What was going to happen? Would it happen?

But worst of all, _Mother was still asleep_.

Out of everything, that _terrified_ him. Without Mother, he was alone. Only she knew _everything_ , and without her, he could feel himself slowly but steadily going mad. He didn't know how much longer he could distract himself. He _needed_ her!

He was so scared. Just like back then, but back then he _had Mother_.

Now it was too quiet in his mind and no matter how much he tried, Mother wouldn't wake up. He poked and pushed. He wanted to scream but he was too scared that even if he did, she still wouldn't answer.

Lee shuddered and felt _cold_. He pressed his lips together, refusing to allow a whimper up his throat. He was good at hiding, he was still good! He wouldn't let it show, if it showed then he was weak. If he was weak then they would kill him. He was worthless if he was weak.

He was worthless.

A tool, that was all, just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

Just a weapon.

"Lee!" A voice broke into his mind and a hand gripped his shoulder, forcing him around. Lee blinked and stared at the boy in front of him. Naturally narrow eyes and black hair pulled up into a spiky ponytail.

Who…?

"Lee, what's wrong?! Didn't you hear me?" The concern in his voice was like a key and Lee blinked again.

"Shikamaru?" Lee muttered then shook his suddenly aching head held back a wince as his collar throbbed. What had he just been doing?

"Ah, sorry Shika!" Lee said with a smile, "I must have been miles away. I was going to look for you. We all just came back!"

Shikamaru's brows furrowed and he stared at Lee for a good minute, watching as Lee slowly looking confused and the demon holder tilted his head. Shikamaru sighed then shook his head, still, he felt a little relieved.

"Damn, don't do that to me." Shikamaru said, "You had this weird look and I called your name three times."

It was a weird look too, but more in the way that it made Shikamaru feel like he was a few seconds from panicking. Lee had looked so…so _empty_. It picked at part of his brain but Shikamaru decided to push away the thought for later. For now, he was happy –damn ecstatic really- that Lee was back. So he gave Lee a crooked smile and said,

"Welcome back."

Lee felt his cheeks warm and he giggled, "Good to be back. I have missed you, Shika."

Shikamaru's ears warmed but he moved his hand from Lee's shoulder to his hand and took it. His smile grew as Lee's did and he ducked down, kissing Lee softly.

"I missed you too." He said.

Lee's blush grew but he felt really giddy. He pressed close to Shikamaru, holding onto his arm and hand at the same time, "So what has happened since we left?"

"Hm, not much really." Shikamaru said, walking with Lee to wherever the boy wanted to go, "Oh…ah, Kakashi-san is in the hospital." Shikamaru said with a slight grimace, "I heard about it a week after you left and went to check. The rumor was true."

Lee blinked in surprise then had to hide the rush of emotion that suddenly filled him. Kakashi had gotten into a fight with his Fallen Angel. He lost and his Angel put him into a coma which Tsunade just brought him out of. He had…

Lee smiled, "I know, I saw…why did you check?"

Shikamaru shrugged with mock carelessness, "You said he was close to you."

Lee's smile grew and he kissed Shikamaru's cheek, "Thank you Shika." He hummed softly as Shikamaru just pulled him a little closer then continued, "He woke up and I gave the kittens instructions to take Kakashi home and put him to bed."

Shikamaru snickered in amusement then raised an eyebrow, "He lives with you?"

"Technically no, he has his own apartment but he has a room at my place. The only ones who actually do live with me are Naruto and Sasuke. Sakura still has her…parents, but she stays at my place every night now. Kakashi comes and goes but he mostly stays as well." He said, then his smile softened to a slight curl, "I like it though...Call me sentimental but...I like having those I love nearby."

Lee felt his heart start to beat fast in slight fear. Admitting this, it made him scared -shamefully, everything still frightened him- but he _wanted_ to tell Shikamaru. If there was no one else able to know, he wanted Shikamaru to be the one who could.

"I consider them family." Lee chuckled slightly but it wasn't a humorous sound, "As you know, the Genin of Team Seven are my kittens. In the beginning...it did not mean nearly as much as it does now. I love them. I would-...I would die if something were to happen to them."

Lee didn't notice that they had stopped walking, nor that Shikamaru was staring at him, giving him all of his attention. The light air that had surrounded them vanished as Lee inhaled shakily, all of his insides twisting at the mere thought of something happening to his kittens. Then he looked at Shikamaru and the feeling like his organs were being strangled expanded, "It-...I feel the same for you as well."

Shikamaru's eyes sharpened and he stepped closer to Lee. He he lightly gripped Lee's shoulders, his thumbs stroking Lee's neck. Lee swallowed hard, "I- I _love_ you, _so much_."

One word kept chanting in his head, a name.

 _Orochimaru_.

There was almost _no one_ who could stand up to that man and one of the few was certainly not Shikamaru -he didn't let himself think about Kabuto because that was a completely different fear that was bone deep and would haunt him forever-. Kakashi, Naruto, Sakura, Sasuke, Gaara, Gai, Neji, Tenten, Shikaku...he didn't think any of them could stand up to the Sanin. There was a reason the man was called a _Sanin_.

"So..." Lee reached up and gripped Shikamaru's hands, "If-...If anything happens-"

"Nothing will happen." Shikamaru cut in, his voice tight and eyes slightly panicked.

For a moment, Lee wanted to agree, to say 'of course' and simply drop the subject but...he couldn't do that. Not when he knew that those from Konoha - _especially_ the Rookie Nine- were foolhardy and would _of course_ try and rescue a comrade.

"But if something _does_." Lee shot back, squeezing Shikamaru's hands tighter, "If something does...take care of my kittens? Please?"

Shikamaru's hands trembled and he suddenly pulled Lee to him, holding him almost too tightly. He swallowed hard, feeling dread curl in his stomach. Something had happened over the past month that Lee had been gone, it was obvious, but _what_ happened, wasn't. He desperately wished he knew, so he could help, so he could plan and keep Lee safe from whatever seemed to scare him so much.

He'd been quiet for too long -it was impossible to make his mouth move as he didn't even want to entertain the thought of Lee _gone_ \- and Lee whispered his name pleadingly. Shikamaru held Lee even tighter, to the point that it was even slightly painful for him. Still, he tried to talk. His voice finally came out but it was strained, thin, and slightly shaky.

"Of course."

Why did he feel like he was slowly losing grip on something - _someone_ \- precious...?


	33. Chapter 33

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Sorry for the late update, I got sick last week and it was horrible. I will try to update again on Friday but most likely it will be Monday.

Despite how much Shikamaru wanted to know, he didn't want to see that too empty expression on Lee's face. So he kept it to himself -already planning on finding out another way- and just spent time with Lee. Instead of taking Lee to the rest of Team Ten, he kept Lee for himself and took him out to eat. Lee acted like the conversation hadn't happened, to the point that for a split second, Shikamaru wondered if it really _did_. Of course it did...and that made Shikamaru's stomach twist uncomfortably.

He hadn't realized how good Lee was at pretending...

How was he supposed to help if he couldn't _see_? It was _frustrating_. He was friends with Ino, who had picked up tricks from Inoichi! He should be able to see _something_. But there was nothing. No single hint at the earlier emptiness or how close Lee looked to crying as he made him promise.

No hint at the fact that Lee had finally said that he loved him.

That thought made Shikamaru's heart jump and made something in his stomach tremble. He held Lee's hand a little tighter and asked Lee out to lunch instead. The subtle happiness in Lee's eyes made him calm and he felt himself relaxing just a little.

He would find out what happened and what went wrong, but before that...he was just going to enjoy his time with Lee.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

The sun was setting by the time Shikamaru released him back to his kittens but Lee didn't mind. He enjoyed their date -Shikamaru didn't call it one but Lee claimed it as one- and even got food for those at home. So when Shikamaru lead him up to the door, he kissed the boy -man really- and wished Shikamaru a good night.

Shikamaru kissed him back and asked him to visit him in his dreams.

It made Lee's face warm and his heart skip. Shikamaru was _very_ good at distracting him. Still, the shadow user had to leave and Lee was left feeling sad as he watched Shikamaru's back disappear. Lee sighed softly and slipped into the house. He quickly checked in on his kittens and found them all upstairs in Kakashi's room -along with Kakashi-. He looked up towards the room then made his way over, gripping his bag of food a little tighter. When he got there, he briefly knocked before opening the door.

"Evening. I hope Kakashi was not causing too much trouble?" Lee asked, slightly raising an eyebrow.

"You wound me." Kakashi said, sulking on the bed.

"He tried to escape a few times but we caught him." Sakura said and Lee smiled at her, lightly petting her head.

"Good, I knew you could." He said, then he lifted the bag of food that Naruto was sniffing, saying, "I brought food back."

"Yes! You're the best Kaa-chan!" Naruto crowed, quickly grabbing the bag and getting out the food for everyone.

Sasuke stepped beside Lee and nudged their shoulders together. When Lee stepped a little closer so their shoulders were pressing together, Sasuke gave a subtle sigh of content. It made Lee giggle.

"...Are you okay?" Sasuke murmured under his breath.

Lee felt his heart warm and he smiled at Sasuke with all the love he could show. Sasuke's cheeks tinted with color but he didn't look away. Lee took Sasuke's hand and nodded, "I am now." he said.

Sasuke's lips curled into a small smile and he nodded, briefly squeezing Lee's hand.

Lee closed his eyes for a moment and felt happy again, though a different happy from what Shikamaru made him feel. Then he felt eyes on his person and opened his eyes again. He looked straight into Kakashi's revealed eye for a long moment then turned away.

"I am going to go to my room for a bit. You do not have to wait up." Lee said, pressing a kiss to Sasuke's cheek. When the boy nodded, Lee did the same to Sakura and Naruto but didn't say anything to Kakashi and just left.

He knew he was being a...brat, but Lee just couldn't forgive Kakashi for putting himself in danger, for landing himself into a _coma_.

Lee clicked his teeth together as he closed his door behind him.

He went to his desk in the corner of the room and mindlessly got out some paper. He didn't really think about what he was doing until he'd already sat down and put a pencil to the paper. He stared down at the parchment then slowly started writing.

_Dear Gaara,_

_I am sure that this letter will come as a surprise considering we did not promise to write each other. Still, I find myself wishing to speak with you..._

_How are you?_

_I hope Suna is treating you well. If not...then I will help you gain revenge if that is what you wish. You have killed Suna ninja for me, and I would do the same for you. I believe I would even do the same if it were Konoha as long as it did not destroy the entire village...or maybe even then._

Lee paused, his mouth dry. For a moment, when he had written 'maybe even then.' he truly meant it. An odd hollowness filled him at the thought of destroying Konoha. A hollowness that meant he didn't _care_. Would he? If Konoha harmed a chosen?

If Gaara truly became his mate, then _yes_. He would _destroy_ Konoha.

But that was a thought filled with rage, not emptiness...

There was something strange going on inside him.

_I wonder if you believe me. I can hardly believe myself._

_I do truly wish to know how you are and what you are doing but sadly, this letter is not only for that._

_My want is not so much as to just hear you though it is a very large part, but also...there are things happening Gaara. I am not sure that I am safe let alone my kittens. If I could...I would ask you for a favor or a promise._

_Will you look after my kittens whenever you can?_

_You said that you wished to become my shield, but if something should happen to me, please...become their shield instead. I know that they would do the same for you if given a chance._

_For now, this is all I will write. I hope you can write back soon and that we can speak on many subjects. I..._

_I miss you._

_Love,_

_Lee_

He folded the letter and closed his eyes, feeling exhausted. He laid his head on the desk and desperately felt for Mother. She was still sleeping and Lee _hated_ it. He felt sick at the thought of this being forever. He needed to find out why and how, and how to stop it. He needed to find out about the curse Orochimaru placed on him. He needed to find out more about the Akatsuki for both Naruto and Gaara. He needed to tell Tsunade about himself -though he didn't wish to-, and he had to address the kiss Kakashi had given him before they had left.

He hadn't forgotten, how could he have?

A clacking against his window surprised him and Lee sat up to see a grow on his windowsill. His brows furrowed and he opened the window only to be surprised again when the crow come in and he saw a _Sharingan_ in its _eye_. Lee swallowed hard, his heart jumping as he noticed a letter carrier attached to its leg.

He opened the letter with shaky hands.

_Kitty,_

_I know I am taking a risk in sending this, but it doesn't stop me. I've been wanting to see you again since we parted and have taken to keeping an ear out for anything that sounds like you. It was while doing this that I heard something disquieting._

_Why did you not mention the curse mark_

_There were Oto-nin's near Konoha, coming to give you a choice. There are few reasons as to why Orochimaru would give you the curse mark and each one is upsetting. I know that Orochimaru wanted the Sharingan and if I know you at all, I know you will protect my foolish Otouto. I have seen how he acts towards you as well and I am glad that he has you on his side...but you must remember to protect yourself as well._

_Protect yourself and protect Sasuke. I regret that I cannot be there to do so as well._

_**I** _ **-**

The rest was of the paper was torn and whatever was there was scribbled out judging by what was left.

Still, the letter made his heart ache. Lee felt happy yet guilty at the same time. He hadn't told Itachi, hadn't wanted to linger on the _thing_ on his skin. He should have said something, maybe Itachi could have helped? Then there was the fact that Orochimaru had wanted the Sharingan. Did he still want it? Was Sasuke still in danger?

Lee's hands went clammy at the thought. They shook, visible only by the slight tremble on the letter still in his hands. He forced himself to breathe normally and put the letter in a sealed drawer. The crow was still there, now resting on his shoulder, so Lee took out another piece of paper and addressed it to Itachi.

_My Angel,_

_I am sorry. I am so sorry for not saying anything. I did not want to bring it up while finally in your presence. I had missed you too much to focus on myself, and you had given me such a scare beforehand. But that was then, I will reveal all now._

_It was during the second test of the Chunin Exams. Team Seven had teamed up with Team Ten which holds the new Ino-Shika-Cho combination. We thought that we had a better chance together, and we would have, but 'fate' decided to allow Orochimaru to find us instead. That was our first encounter. I fought alongside Gaara of the Sand and he protected Sasuke from getting bitten by the snake._

_A month later, Orochimaru came back during the third exam disguised as the now late Kazekage. He cornered the third Hokage with a barrier that did not allow any in unless they wished to be burned alive. Gaara helped me once again and we were able to find a way in from under. Sasuke was safe with the rest of Team Seven and Shikamaru at the time. Orochimaru had somehow brought back the First and Second Hokage's and sent them after the Third. It was then that I engaged Orochimaru in battle with Gaara._

_I had made a foolish mistake and Orochimaru took the chance to bite me. After that, I only have second hand information as I had passed out. Gaara and Sarutobi drove Orochimaru away and Sarutobi brought Jiraiya to seal the curse._

_That is everything that I can think of._

Lee paused and took in a shaky breath, feeling like his insides were trembling. Now…now what could he say? Should he tell Itachi about how Mother wasn't talking to him? Should he say that he was scared? Should he…should he tell him of what Kabuto said?

Lee gagged at the memory and hugged himself tightly.

Itachi would be able to save him, right? Itachi could save him just like the first time.

Lee felt his eyes burn and his hand shook as he began writing again.

_I am scared, Angel. I am so very scared. There is something not right with me and I cannot hear Mother anymore. She has been sleeping for so long and that has never happened before. I feel myself changing again but not in a good way and I think it is because of this mark._

_Orochimaru and his_ pet _Kabuto had cornered me in the town that we found Tsunade. What that Snake said…He said something will happen to me and I do not know what!_ _ **I feel like I am at the end of my tether and-**_ _I am sorry, I am getting away from myself. He made it seem that whatever will happen…I will come to him of my own accord._

_If that should happen, please, do not let me hurt my kittens. I will trust you to do what is right._

_I love you, my Fallen Angel. I love you so much. Thank you for allowing me to meet you._

_Your Kitty._

Lee dropped the pencil, gagging again. He couldn't do it. He hadn't been able to write down anything about what Kabuto said. It still echoed in his head, as clear as the first time.

" _I've already made a special box for when you come, Lee-kun. It'll be just like old times…just like Kuma._ "

Lee whimpered and covered his ears, digging his nails into his hair.

He couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't, he couldn't.

"I _cannot_ …" Lee whined quietly, curling in on himself as he cried.


	34. Chapter 34

Lee gathered himself together later than he wanted. He wiped his eyes and breathed in and out, counting the seconds in between until he felt calmer. When he was able, he folded Gaara's letter then rolled Itachi's. He gave Itachi's to the crow and gave it a kiss on its head with a whispered thank you. It pressed its head against his cheek before flying off and disappearing.

Lee stared for longer than he should have then finally closed the window.

He turned his gaze onto Gaara's letter and had a moment of indecision. Should he really send it? Was it right?

Did right even matter?

In the end, he knew it didn't. He had to make sure his kittens had as many people on their side as he could trust. That number was small but they were worth it. Shikamaru already promised, he would send the letter for Gaara so that was another. He knew Itachi would keep Sasuke as safe as possible and though he hoped the man would do the same for Sakura and Naruto, he would content himself with knowing that Itachi would dispose of him just in case something went terribly wrong.

There was also Kakashi –he had to talk with the man but he wasn't ready…it probably didn't matter that he wasn't though- and if Lee could find him, he would get Jiraiya to make some sort of promise as well.

Lee sighed and slipped the letter into his pack, leaving his room. He stopped by Kakashi's room where he still felt everyone's chakra signatures and opened the door. He blinked as he saw Sasuke, Sakura, and Naruto all curled up as the base of the bed, asleep. Kakashi was still sitting under the covers, his bowl of food resting on his lap as he stared at the three Genin. He turned his revealed eye to Lee and sat up straighter.

"I am going out for a bit. I-" Lee began but paused as Kakashi said his name. His tongue suddenly felt too heavy in his mouth and he couldn't bring himself to speak.

"Lee…" Kakashi repeated and there was a type of sadness in his tone that made it feel hard to swallow, "Lee, I-"

"Not now." Lee blurted and his heart squeezed at the hurt in Kakashi's eye. He shook his head, "Tonight, we will speak. When I come back and the kids are in their beds, that is when we can talk."

"…Alright." Kakashi said, "…Be careful."

"…Thank you." Lee said, allowing himself to smile at Kakashi.

He turned and left the room, leaving the house soon after. He made his way to the civilian post office and sent in his letter. It would get to Gaara in a week, maybe a little longer, depending on the travel. His hand had trembled as he gave his letter over but he couldn't take it back now –he could but he wouldn't let himself-. His mind blanked out as he stared at the white envelope but he turned on his heel and went back into the crowd outside.

He let his feet lead him to the public park and just tried to think.

What was his biggest problem?

Was it Orochimaru? Or was it the Akatsuki?

 _His_ problem was Orochimaru but the Akatsuki was a problem for Naruto and Gaara –and him but they didn't know who he was yet-. So the better question was, what did he think was the bigger problem? His mind said Orochimaru but…his heart said the Akatsuki. He didn't want such an organization existing, not when it meant danger for his kitten and his mate-to-be. Not even mentioning his Fallen Angel. That _cult_ had his Angel and kept his Angel from his side!

Lee felt a rush of anger and clicked his teeth together. Then he abruptly remembered what Itachi said in the letter.

That damn snake, Orochimaru, who wasn't only after him but also had designs on _Sasuke's eyes_. The man hadn't hinted towards Sasuke after that first fight and he'd foolishly thought that it had been the end of that but it was _Orochimaru_. The man was more likely to grab Sasuke and him both.

Lee clicked his teeth together even harder and his fist shot out, smashing _through_ a tree.

"I don't know what the tree did but I'm sure it's extremely sorry."

Lee's head jerked back and he turned to see Jiraiya a few steps behind him. His cheeks warmed in embarrassment but he just turned a glare towards the ground and pressed his lips together.

"Hey," Jiraiya said, his voice going lower as he stepped beside Lee, "What are you thinking about now?"

"…Too much." Lee whispered, "Jiraiya…my kittens are in danger. I cannot _stand_ that!" he hissed, "What am I supposed to do to protect them? The Akatsuki want Naruto and Orochimaru wants Sasuke's eyes. How am I supposed to protect them? I-" he slightly choked and felt his eyes burn, "I am not that strong…"

What would he do if he saw _Kabuto_? That man scared him more than Orochimaru ever could, and he did it with only a sentence. He'd like to think that he'd immediately fight –but who was he kidding. He was a coward. He knew that he'd just freeze in fear-. Lee shakily inhaled then paused as he felt a hand against his back. He slowly turned back to Jiraiya and reluctantly looked up at the man.

"All you are supposed to do is live." Jiraiya said, his expression and voice determined, "Live and be happy with those you love. Let me worry about the rest for now and just relax. I will do everything I can to make sure Orochimaru can't get you or Sasuke, the same with the Akatsuki. Trust me on that."

Lee blinked and stared at Jiraiya with slightly wide eyes before slowly closing them and stepping closer until he could rest his head against the older mans' chest.

"...Okay." Lee whispered, "Okay, I...trust you. I trust you."

Jiraiya didn't say anything more but put his hand on Lee's back instead. The warm, heavy weight felt nice and Lee stayed there for a few moments longer before he felt familiar chakra nearing. Lee reluctantly moved back then looked towards Sasuke's approaching figure. He smiled fondly yet felt tired.

"Sasuke, why are you not at home?" Lee asked

"Everyone's worried." He said, sparing a nod to Jiraiya in greeting then going to Lee's side, "I said I'd find you."

Lee chuckled and nudged Sasuke's shoulder before leaning against him, "Alright, I know a summoning when I hear it. Are the others getting so restless?"

"You didn't say where you were going or when you were coming back." Sasuke said, shrugging the shoulder that Lee wasn't against. It made Lee chuckle again and he teased,

"Oh, my apologies! I was completely in the wrong!"

"As long as you understand." Sasuke quipped back, his lips twitching into a smirk.

Lee laughed and curled his arm around Sasuke's. He looked back at Jiraiya and smiled at the older man, mouthing 'Thank you'. Jiraiya gave him a warm smile back and Lee felt happy again.

Yes, things would be okay. No matter what happened to him, things would be okay for his kittens.

Lee walked back home with Sasuke, whispering with the boy along the way. When they got back home, Lee quietly asked Sasuke if they could sleep together that night. Sasuke nodded his acceptance, slightly pressing his shoulder against Lee's again. When he looked, Sasuke was smiling. Lee smiled warmly and kissed Sasuke's cheek before sending him up the stairs.

Lee stared after Sasuke for a moment then sighed and made his way to Kakashi's room. He stopped in Naruto's room first where he felt Naruto and Sakura's chakra.

"Hey you two." Lee said

"Kaa-chan!" They called out, facing him. Then Naruto continued, "Where were you?!" and Sakura added, "We were worried."

"I just dropped off a letter. I did not want to wake you up. You all looked so cute, sleeping together." Lee said, slightly teasing but meaning his words, "Anyway, it is late. You two should sleep. I will see you in the morning."

He left after they said that they would and made it to his own room next, where Sasuke already was. He knew he was stalling.

"Sasuke?" Lee said, peeking into his own room. He smiled as Sasuke turned to him, already getting ready to lay down, "I will be right in. I have to speak with Kakashi for a moment. You do not have to wait up."

"Okay. I'll be going to sleep then. Don't take too long." Sasuke said, slipping into the bed.

"Goodnight, my wolf." Lee said warmly, slowly closing the door.

He stayed there for a few moments longer before taking in a deep breath and heading to his final destination. He stopped in front of Kakashi's door and raised his hand. He hesitated for a second before knocking.

"Come in." He heard Kakashi's muffled voice and opened the door.

Lee closed it behind him and looked towards Kakashi. The man was sitting on the bed like earlier but this time he was facing Lee, his bare feet on the floor. Strange, how seeing Kakashi's feet bare felt...intimate.

"You wanted to talk?" Lee murmured, slowly tilting his head as he leaned against.

"Lee." Kakashi said, just as he did earlier, his tone seeming to convey everything. Only slightly strained as if trying to hide it and a tinge of something sad and maybe a little desperate. Did Kakashi even know how he sounded to Lee's ears? It wasn't fair.

"Do not-" Lee began, slightly choking as he bit out, "Do not say my name like that." he bit out, "You do not get to sound so-...You took on Uchiha Itachi! You could have died!"

Lee turned his gaze to the floor, wrapping his arms around himself to stop the shaking he knew would begin, "Do you not know what would happen to the others if you were to die? Maybe you think that they were joking, but they truly think of you as a father figure! Naruto and Sasuke have no one to claim as family besides us, and even Sakura thinks of us as her family. She does not even speak of her actual parents anymore!" He hissed, making sure not to be too loud though he wanted to shout.

"I had to fight-" Kakashi began but Lee cut him off.

"For _Konoha_ , yes?" He spat, "I know very well, the truth of Konoha. It is _duty_...but what about _us_?! What about- what about _me_...?" Lee's face flushed as his voice broke and he dug his nails into his own arms. He felt slightly ashamed for letting himself break so quickly but he couldn't stop.

"I do not want to lose anyone else! Not even to this _stupid_ village!" He was saying too much, especially about insulting the village. He _knew_ it could be counted as treason and Kakashi would be duty bound to take him in, "I owe this village _nothing_! And I do not want it to take away the ones I have finally come to _love_."

Hands gripped his shoulders and Lee's head snapped up. He stared up at Kakashi's now blurry -and _bare_ \- face and squeezed his eyes shut to stop the tears. Those same hands gripped his face and Lee inhaled sharply, reaching up and clinging to Kakashi's wrists.

"You won't lose any of us." Kakashi said, his voice hard with a promise even he knew he shouldn't be saying, "I won't let anything happen to us!" Yes he knew he be saying this but he was still begging Lee to believe him and begging Kami to let this be a promise he could finally keep.

"How can you promise-" Lee began, tightening his desperate grip on Kakashi's wrists but he couldn't finish.

Kakashi had kissed him. Lee could feel his lips already bruising under the hard kiss but he clung to the 'promise' and kissed back. He whimpered as his back hit the door behind him and had to grab onto Kakashi's shirt to feel stable. His jerked, his body twitching as a tongue suddenly slipped into his mouth. It was wet and hot and Lee felt his heart pound in his chest. He gripped the fabric of Kakashi's shirt, almost ripping it as he felt his legs threaten to fail him.

Kakashi pushed one of his hands into Lee's hair and the other went to his hip as if he knew Lee would fall the moment he stopped. He almost lost himself completely in the kiss but forced himself to finally pull away when all he wanted to do was continue. Kakashi gripped Lee's hip tightly as the boy began to slid down the door and said, "Because _I_ swear it. I _will_ protect this."

Lee panted softly, his heart still pounding in his chest. He pressed his lips together, tears blurring his sight again, "It is a promise. You sealed it. You cannot- You cannot break this promise."

"I won't." Kakashi whispered and his hand slightly trembled as he cupped Lee's face, "I won't."

Lee felt himself tremble and he leaned into Kakashi's hand, slightly turning his face into his large, warm palm. He released a long breath then pressed a kiss to the flesh there, whispering, "Thank you. I-... _thank you_."

Kakashi's other hand went back up to his other cheek and he cupped Lee's face, leaning down again. Lee looked up as he felt warm air brush over his lips and found himself staring at Kakashi's eye again. His gaze slowly traveled down and he took in Kakashi's bare face at his leisure, but...the man was coming even closer.

...Why? He wasn't going on a mission so this wasn't just affection to remind him to come back, and they already sealed their promise. Lee felt his heart speed up in his chest and slowly, it started to click in his mind. Then Lee felt Kakashi's lips on his own again.

Lee shakily inhaled against Kakashi's mouth and he reached up, gripping Kakashi's shirt again. The kiss wasn't so hard this time, more...soft, slow. It made him feel fuzzy, like someone was stuffing cotton into his head. He shivered as Kakashi pulled him close and he instinctively curled his arms around Kakashi's neck.

In the end, it was him who broke the kiss first.

"Kakashi..." Lee murmured, tilting his head down, "Do you...do you really..." like? love? Lee didn't even know the right words to use. It didn't matter as Kakashi answered anyway.

"Yes." Kakashi said, his voice slightly hoarse, "I shouldn't...but I do. Forgive me..."

"Why? Why should you not? Is that not the glory of emotion? Being able to feel for whoever you want?" Lee asked, his voice going quiet as it felt wrong to talk above a whisper.

"But you're so young." and if Kakashi sounded tormented by that, well...

"What does age have to do with anything?" Lee asked, "Age does not define our past. What we go through...you went trough war at my age, and I..." Lee bit his tongue. He still didn't want to talk about it. The only people he could would be Gaara and Itachi. Gaara because the boy _understood_ , and Itachi because his Angel _saved_ him. If Itachi asked, Lee would spill everything.

"Life is not so fair as to allow certain children to grow up normally." Lee finished. He took a breath and looked up into Kakashi's eye, raising one hand and stroking Kakashi's cheek.

"Here is something more important, Kakashi. Do you really think that I am good enough for _you_?" At the surprise on Kakashi's face Lee chuckled humorlessly, "You did not even think about that. You know what I am, Kakashi, but there is more to it than that. I hold _Matatabi_ , the only _female_ demon. I might be human in body but demonic instinct rules me. Think about that first, my dear Kakashi...then talk to me again."

Lee pulled back and opened the door behind him. He stared at Kakashi's face then gave him a small smile before closing the door between them. Lee made himself walk back to his room though all he wanted to do was fall to his knees.

He didn't know if he even said the right things. He never faced someone like...that, without Mother to guide him. He wasn't good at explaining. He was barely learning the different emotions that came with being _human_. Did he just screw up what he had with Kakashi? He didn't _know_. He didn't know many things.

Lee kind of wished that he never met all these people. Things were easier when he only had his Angel on his mind.

Still, Lee got to his room and felt a sort of relief when he saw Sasuke already asleep in his bed. Sasuke...Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke. His wolf, his kitten. His connection to Itachi yet even if he wasn't, Lee would still love him. Sweet boy who needed a family that wouldn't leave or die on him. Lee saw little things of himself in Sasuke, more so than in Naruto.

Naruto was special. He knew hurt, he knew rejection and hate, but Naruto never lost hope. He had a light inside that was always shining, always burning.

Lee had let his own light die so long ago.

Then there was Sakura. She had a family, she had never suffered loss as greatly as any of them, but she had empathy. She could connect with anyone if she tried and she kept things from being dark. She was a light on her own and she had that instinct to protect, to heal.

His kittens were perfect for each other.

Did they even really need him?

No, they didn't, not like he needed them. Still, it wouldn't stop Lee from trying. He would make them dependent on him. He would make it so they couldn't even think of him not being there beside them, because-...

Because he couldn't imagine his life without them anymore.

And _that_ was terrifying.


	35. Chapter 35

Morning came and Lee woke up just before he heard a tap against his window. Lee slowly turned his head and stared at the ANBU member at his window then sighed and got up. His hair fell into his face and he pushed it back, annoyed as he made his way to his window to open it.

"The Hokage requires your presence." The ANBU said just as Lee opened his window then immediately disappeared. Lee blew a strand of hair away from his face then looked back at Sasuke's still sleeping form. Just like that, his annoyance vanished and was replaced by parental love -or, as close to it as he could feel considering he only had Mother as a guideline-

Still, he had no time to think on such things for now.

Lee changed out of his nightwear and donned his normal black outfit. He braided his hair quickly then went to Sasuke's side. He placed his hand on Sasuke's shoulder and gently woke him.

"Shh," Lee whispered as Sasuke grumbled sleepily, "I wanted to tell you that I am being summoned. It is early so go back to sleep, my wolf."

"Mn-okay..." Sasuke mumbled, "...be safe Kaa-chan..." he fell back asleep.

Lee's eyes widened and he pressed his face onto the bed to stop himself from making any noise. He suddenly just wanted to stay in this room- this house, and never let any of his kittens leave.

 _He loved them_ _so much._

Lee forced himself to calm down and simply pressed a soft kiss onto Sasuke's cheek before pulling away. Then he left, knowing that the others would be asleep.

-Of course Kakashi was awake though and when Lee looked back at the house, he saw Kakashi at his bedroom window. Lee waved though he felt shy at the sight of the older man.-

He got to the Hokage's tower and bypassed the normal entrance, instead, jumping to the windows to the Hokage's office. He barely frowned at the sight of Sarutobi and Tsunade there together and tapped on the window. Sarutobi turned and nodded to Lee so he opened the window and slid into the room.

"You called, Sarutobi?" Lee said, his voice taking on the familiar mocking yet playful tone.

"Lee." Sarutobi smiled and motioned to Tsunade -who had an affronted expression on her face-, "Tsunade has agreed to take on my position. She will be announced this afternoon, but I wanted her to _know_ you beforehand."

Lee slowly turned his gaze upon the female Sannin and his lip curled in disgust, "Is it really so wise? She is not worthy of your title." he said mercilessly.

"What the hell did you just say, you brat?!" Tsunade snarled, her affronted expression turning enraged.

Sarutobi sighed and looked at Lee with a sad air, "Lee, please set aside your dislike."

Lee's lips curled again but this time in anger. Still, he nodded and gave a mockingly low bow, making Tsunade growl.

"Sensei! Why are you letting this damn brat get away with being-" She couldn't even finish her sentence, too angry.

"I am afraid that that isn't my story to share. For now, just believe that there is a good reason." He said then nodded to Lee, "Now, as I asked..."

"As you wish." Lee said with a bitter smile then turned to Tsunade, "As per request, you will come to know my secret. Know this, Sarutobi has my respect, _you_ do _not_."

Tsunade scowled and stepped towards Lee, her arm reaching out to grab him. Lee growled and his body erupted into orange-red flames. His eyes changed to demonic black slits and he hissed at her.

" _ **You will not touch me, you washed out drunk. I will burn you alive.**_ " Lee hissed lowly, his fire growing hotter until it was blue in color but he didn't let it go far enough to bring the black swirls.

" _Ikiryou!_ " Sarutobi said, his voice sharp but behind that was a sadness even Lee couldn't ignore.

Lee bit his tongue against any more insults and turned to the still current Hokage. His blue flame died down but his hair still moved as if the heat was still there. His skin had gained a bluish tint just like his flames and his eyes stayed demonic.

"...Why." Sarutobi asked, sounding so old in that moment that Lee felt _guilty_. Still, he asked and Lee would answer.

" _ **One Senju Tsunade left Konoha. She abandoned her home and became a gambler and a drunk. She left Konoha with a barely functioning Hospital and many could have been saved if she had stayed. Instead, she thought herself above everyone else and gave into her blood fear.**_ " Lee said, his voice monotone

"What would you know! You have no right to speak of things you don't know!" Tsunade shouted, voice slightly ragged sounding. Her unease and slight fear of the name Ikiryou being forgotten for now.

" _ **I know that the Hokage has given you more leniency than you deserve. Do you think anyone else would have been allowed to abandon their village without being labeled a missing-nin? You do not realize how much slack you have been given and you do not appreciate those that have been looking out for you. You do not appreciate your home.**_ " Lee said, keeping his monotone voice for if he didn't, he would become truly _angry_. How dare she...when he would have given anything to have been born in Konoha, to not have gone through what he did.

Lee felt his lips begin to turn down into a scowl that would bare his sharp teeth but held it back, forcing his expression to flatten. He continued, " _ **The Hokage has placed his trust in you now, so as he wishes, I will be available to your whim. You now command Ikiryou. Do not abuse Sarutobi Hiruzen's trust.**_ "

At the sound of Lee's title, Tsunade whipped around to Sarutobi but didn't turn her back to Lee.

"You have someone that dangerous in Konoha?!"

Sarutobi sighed once again but did not scold Lee this time. He understood Lee's anger now and though it simultaneously saddened him greatly and made him happy...he just hoped that Lee could grow to trust Tsunade as well. "Lee has been faithful to Konoha for three years now. I trust him." he said, his tone allowing no argument.

Lee blinked in surprise at Sarutobi's words then bit his tongue, feeling almost uncomfortably happy at hearing his words. He didn't expect to hear that Sarutobi trusted him, didn't even think that the man did. The gratitude that filled him made him speechless and he closed his eyes to gather himself again.

When he was able, Lee breathed as released his partial transformation.

" _ **Is that all**_ you wished for, Sarutobi?" Lee said, his feminine yet demonic voice fading back to normal as he turned back to normal.

"Yes, I will inform Tsunade of anything else I deem necessary. You may leave." Sarutobi said and Lee nodded.

Lee left through the window just as he entered and jumped down to ground floor. In the hour he spent in that room, the sun had fully risen and the sky was light blue with a smattering of clouds. Lee smiled as he saw the fluffy looking white forms. Shikamaru would enjoy this morning if only because of them.

But it was more likely that Shikamaru wasn't even awake -or if he was it was because of Yoshino-.

So Lee made himself walk back to the house but slowed down then stopped half way through his park shortcut and sat on a bench, feeling sick out of nowhere. He slowly slumped until he was covering his face with his hands. His head was starting to throb along with his shoulder. It made him shudder horribly. He pressed his palms hard against his closed eyes and tried to just breathe.

The pain only grew worse. He…he had to get to his apartment. Yes, that sounded good, alone, no one could see him like this. Unless Naruto was there…he still needed to endear himself to the boy. Mother said it was a good idea.

Mother…where was mother?

Sleeping…

' _ **Mother…?**_ ' He called out to Matatabi, feeling strangely fuzzy, ' _ **Mother?...Are you that sleepy?...Okay…**_ '

An aching sadness gripped his heart for a moment before it faded and everything felt muted. Sight, sound, feeling, even emotion felt dulled.

Emotion? When did he ever feel that clearly?

Lee drunkenly shook his head and stumbled to his feet. He grimaced as he wobbled, wondering why he felt so…off balance. He shook his head again, trying to make his brain get back on track and almost fell instead. His heart thumped in surprise and he slowly began to feel uncertain. His legs suddenly collapsed underneath him and he fell back onto the bench with wide eyes.

He stared at the ground in disbelief then forced himself to stand again. He made his feet move, placing one in front of the other until he was steadily walking. The destination didn't occur to him, he just wanted to be able to walk _normally_ but before long, he found himself in front of the Nara household. He blinked in surprise.

Why would he come to see Shikaku?

Lee stared at the main house for a long moment before he found himself walking forward with the need to be there. How...strange. When was 'need' something he had? Maybe Konoha was actually teaching him something...

Still vaguely confused, Lee knocked on the door and waited.

He didn't have to wait long before Shikaku opened the door and Lee automatically smiled. Shikaku blinked in surprise then his lips formed an easy smile that looked oddly familiar in a way that made it feel like Lee had seen it on someone else's face before.

"Lee, I haven't seen you around in a long while." Shikaku said, slightly chuckling as he leaned against the doorframe.

"I know, it is such a dreadful shame. I have not been blessed with your lovely company for so long, among other things~" Lee purred automatically, making Shikaku chuckle again.

"Still the same as ever, aren't you." The older man said, "Well, would you like to join us for breakfast? I know Shikamaru would be overjoyed to see you again." There was a teasing curl to Shikaku's smile but Lee felt…confused.

"Shikamaru…?" Lee repeated, keeping his own smile up even as his brows furrowed in slight confusion, "Have you been talking about me? How flattering! I would like to meet your son."

Shikaku's smile faded and slowly turned into a frown, "What? Are you…joking?" his gaze sharpened and he straightened up from his slouch, "Lee, what's the last thing you remember?"

"The last thing?" Lee repeated again, feeling himself tense as Shikaku lost his easy going edge. Lee felt the urge to step back but kept himself still. He swallowed hard then tried to think. His head and shoulder began throbbing again and he grimaced lightly before saying,

"I…I ate dinner with Naruto-kun and then walked him home?" Lee murmured, his head was slowly starting to hurt even more, "And…Kakashi-kun told me that I was to report to the Hokage for a mission in the morning."

Lee paused and looked around as if just noticing that it was morning, "Oh…I have to go do that."

Lee turned to leave but Shikaku quickly reached out and took Lee's arm. Lee stopped and looked back at Shikaku with an oddly empty expression, making worry flare even harder in the older man.

"Lee-"

"Hey dad, what's taking you-" Another voice came but it cut off and Lee slowly turned his gaze onto a boy that looked familiar in a way that echoed Shikaku. That must be Shikamaru…

"…Lee?" Shikamaru said, sounding hesitant.

-Why would he sound like that? And why did Lee suddenly feel like his chest hurt?-

Lee smiled pleasantly and said, "You must be Shikamaru, a pleasure to meet the son of Shikaku." He giggled and it sounded hollow, "Shi-san did not tell me how handsome you would be~"

Shikamaru didn't even reply, instead, he rushed forward and reached out for Lee. He cupped Lee's face, staring into those horrifyingly empty eyes and felt enough worry that he thought he'd be sick. He remember that look from yesterday and knew it was nothing good.

"Lee, come on, don't do this again." Shikamaru said

Lee raised his arms to remove Shikamaru's hands from his face but paused as his sight became blurry. His brows furrowed slightly and he suddenly realized that he was _crying_. Shikamaru wiped his tears away with a gentleness unfamiliar to his memories.

He opened his mouth to tell his confusion or _something_ but what felt like a sharp spike going straight through his temple and shoulder made his legs suddenly crumble beneath him. He gasped for air and clutched his head. Shikamaru followed him to the ground and moved so he was pulling Lee to him as he turned his head to his father.

"Dad, what's happening?!"

Shikaku knelt down as well, trying to check over Lee, "I don't know…" he said, his voice tight, "Let's get him to the hospital. After, I'll inform the Hokage."

Shikamaru looked down at Lee's trembling form then steeled himself and nodded. He shifted and lifted Lee up, holding him close to his body. His heart squeezed as Lee curled further against him, pressing his head against his collar. Shikamaru swallowed hard, a sense of dread curling in his stomach, but that didn't stop him from moving. He ran towards the hospital even as he heard his father shout what was happening to his mother. Shikamaru only had one desperate thought in his head.

' _Please, please don't let anything happen to Lee._ '


	36. Chapter 36

Shikamaru sat at Lee's beside, staring at his sleeping form. After arriving at the hospital, the nurses had put Lee into a medical coma until they could figure out what was happening. So far, nothing. Not even they had any idea. Shikaku had already left to inform the Hokage and Shikamaru hopped that there was something that could be done.

Even asleep, Lee looked like he was in pain.

Shikamaru breathed heavily into his hands, closing his eyes as he pressed his hands hard against his mouth. Then he jerked slightly as the door slid open with a sharp clack. He looked back then quickly stood up as he saw the Hokage along with a woman.

"Hokage-sama." Shikamaru said, and though his voice was almost bored, his body was tense.

"Shikamaru-kun." Sarutobi nodded in greeting then let his eyes trail back to Lee. He held back a great sigh, wondering how he could have missed that something was wrong...

"Tsunade, if you will?" He said, motioning to Lee with his hand.

Tsunade had a...difficult expression on her face, one that Shikamaru identified as slightly hesitant yet determined. In the end, he didn't care how she felt towards Lee as long as she _healed_ him.

She stepped beside Lee's bed and put her hand on Lee's forehead. Green chakra lit her hand and after a few minutes, she frowned and Lee's eyes fluttered open. Shikamaru forced himself not to move and clenched his hands inside his pockets. His heart pounded in his chest.

Would Lee not remember him again? Or would he call his name in that way that Shikamaru loved...

Lee blinked and looked around with a confused expression. Slowly, he sat up and put his hand to his lightly aching head. He closed his eyes for a moment then looked at the others, seing Tsunade, Sarutobi, Shikamaru, and even Shikaku who was near the door.

Why was he in the hospital?

Lee turned his gaze onto Shikamaru and spoke, "Shika? What happened?"

For a second, it almost looked like Shikamaru was going to collapse but it passed and instead, he went to Lee's side and sat on the bed next to him.

"What do you remember?" He asked, subtly taking Lee's hand. Another part of him relaxed as Lee automatically held his hand, lacing their fingers together.

Lee's brows furrowed but still he answered, "I just left the Hokage Tower after speaking with the Hokage." he looked towards Sarutobi who was slightly frowning, then said, "Now I am waking up here...Shika?"

It was Shikaku who answered his unasked question, "I assume you came to our house right after since Hokage-sama said that the time coincided. Only, when you saw Shikamaru, you didn't remember him."

Lee's gaze snapped back to Shikamaru and when Shikamaru nodded, Lee felt his heart squeeze. He opened his mouth to say something, to apologize or plead for forgiveness -he didn't know what but he did know that he never wanted to forget Shikamaru. What was even making him forget?! He didn't know that either and like always, he was _scared_ -, but Sarutobi spoke instead.

"Lee-kun...I will be monitoring you after you leave the hospital. I will send the rest of Team Seven on a mission so you do not need to worry about them knowing." At that, he gave Lee a kind smile, possibly knowing about Lee's hesitance about anyone finding out, "But I will require you to live with me for the time being."

Lee stared wide eyed at the old man then slowly nodded his consent.

"I will prepare then." Sarutobi said before leaving and after him, Tsunade left as well. Shikaku stayed by the door, staring at the two on the bed before sighing and pushing himself from the wall.

"I'll see you later Shikamaru." The older man said, "...Lee, be careful." then he was gone too.

Lee slowly looked back down to the bed. He stared at his hand which was still laced with Shikamaru's and held on a little tighter.

"...Shika...?" Lee mumbled and he felt Shikamaru move closer to him. He started to tremble and his eyes burned with tears, "S-Shika..."

Arms wrapped around him and Lee crumbled. He pressed his face into Shikamaru's chest and cried. He cried with fear, confusion, and sorrow. Shikamaru's grip tightened and Lee just pressed closer, like he wanted to disappear into Shikamaru's arms.

"S-Shika, I-I am s-scared!" Lee cried

Shikamaru grit his teeth and pressed his face into Lee's hair, whispering how everything was going to be okay and that they'll figure out what's happening. Then, not wanting to let Lee go, he shifted until he was laying down and held Lee closer. Lee pressed closer as well, curling into such a small ball that Shikamaru felt his heart hurt.

Then, Lee started talking and Shikamaru felt dread crawl up his spine.

"Shika..." Lee whispered, "I think I know what is happening."

"...What's happening?"

"During the final exam...Orochimaru put a curse on me." Lee said and he shuddered at what he was going to confess, "Jiraiya sealed it but...I met Orochimaru again when I was on that mission. He said...he said that I had not felt _it_ yet. Then he said that I would come to him on my own will."

"Nothing like that will happen." Shikamaru continued, tense, "Even if-...even if you forget again, we will make sure you're safe. We'll remind you as many times as we need to."

"B-but Shika...he seemed so s-sure..." Lee felt like it was getting harder to breathe and Kabuto's workd echoed in his head again, "H-He said- he said...he said, he said, he said-"

Lee whined, trembling in pure fear, "He made a cage Shika, I do not want to go back in the cage!"

All Shikamaru could do was hold Lee, hiding his body from the world. He felt his own eyes burn in anger, wishing that there was something he could do. Anything to make Lee's fear go away.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

A few days later, Lee found himself at the Sarutobi clan house. He sat in the room that Hiruzen said was his and stared at the walls. Only two days into his 'confinement' and Lee was _tired_. Even if Hiruzen was apologetic, Lee still wasn't allowed out of the compound because of his skills. If he forgot again, he could be a danger to everyone around him.

So every day consisted of him napping in the sun whenever he could. The emptiness in his mind made him feel hollow and nothing could bring him back up except when Shikamaru was allowed to viit him. Then he gained his life again and used Shikamaru as a pillow as they rested in the sunlight and talked about meaningless things.

Like that, Lee could forget that he was technically caged again.

Sarutobi had taken another look at his curse along with Jiraiya and both confirmed that they hadn't seen another like it. Anko's was different along with the ones Jiraiya had seen on the road. They even brought in Anko and she hated to admit it but she didn't know about it either.

There were times when Lee felt himself slipping away but like a jolt of lightening, he'd cling to any memory he could.

It was at the end of the second week that a crow fluttered down in front of him when he was in the garden. His heart had lept into his throat and he took the letter that the bird had. Sarutobi had just left so he knew the man had no way to see him through his crystal ball and for the moment, the ANBU sent to watch him wasn't there yet. He hid the letter and kissed the crows head, asking it to come back later that night.

But that night, Hiruzen said that Team Seven would be coming back in two days so his time under watch was done. Of course, the Hokage wished he could do more but even he was -regrettably- not all knowing. Jiraiya was already on the road again, trying to find one of Orochimaru's hideout on the chance that information could be found.

Even though the unknown scared him, Lee was happy to finally be leaving. He wanted to be back in the place he claimed as home.

Yet when he got home, the first thing he did was open up his letter.

_Kitty,_

_I tried to find out more about the curse you carry. I don't know which one you hold but I found out that Orochimaru had created a new one just for a new recruit. I have a feeling that one are the one he prepared it for._

_I will try to find out more. I will do what I can to make you safe._

_Kitty, you are the one who makes me feel like there is a chance. I should not be conversing with you and I know I should not have taken that chance and told you what I did, but I could not help myself. Being by you makes me feel human again...maybe that is why I'm not censoring myself._

_I will do what is needed, if this is your wish...but I hope it will not come to that._

_That month we spent together and our last meeting...you are a very easy person to fall in love with._

_Your Fallen one._

Lee slowly held the letter to his chest. Warmth spread throughout his body and he smiled. Itachi had said he was easy to fall in love with...did that mean he felt the same? The thought made him sigh with a smile. Then there was a clack against his window and an unfamiliar bird was there. Lee tensed slightly then slowly put his letter away, sealing it in the top drawer in his bedside table. He slowly made his way to the window and after a moment of staring, opened it.

The unfamiliar bird swooped in and deposited a letter onto his bed before flying back out. Lee frowned but he didn't sense anything wrong. So he picked up his second letter and slowly opened it as well. Immediately, he recognized the writing and a trembling smile curled his lips.

' _Oh Gaara..._ ' He thought, rereading the short message.

_Lee,_

_I am coming._

Lee choked a laugh and sat on his bed. He leaned back and stared at the ceiling, wondering.

When did everything get so complicated?

That was actually easy to figure out. It had been coming since he met Naruto with the intention of getting the boy to depend on him. Since then, everything else just...came. How different would it have been if he had met Gaara first? Or Shikamaru?

Lee closed his eyes and took in a deep breath. He slowly raised a hand and extended one finger.

"Naruto." Lee whispered, ' _Get Naruto dependent. Mission accomplished. He thinks of me as his mother, surprisingly, along with him came the rest of Team Seven._ '

Lee extended his second finger, "Mates."

' _When the time comes, search and procreate. The time has come and I have three-...four potentials. Two have agreed, one does not know about mating, and I have warned the last about it. The next step is the bite, then...children._ '

A fluttery feeling erupted inside of him and Lee giggled. Then, his smile faded and up came his third finger, "Freedom."

' _I wanted to be free. Free to do as I wish. Semi-accomplished. I am still a weapon but my use is secondary. I am happy first. Yet my freedom is slipping. This curse is trying to lock me up and I...I know..._ '

"I will fail..." Lee whispered, his hand now trembling as he curled it into a fist. Somehow, he knew that he would fail. He just hoped that Itachi would find him before he did any damage to his precious ones.

"How...fitting."It made Lee laugh in a way that almost sounded like he was sobbing. He covered his mouth then held Gaara's letter close to his chest _._

_Of course._

He was Ikiryou, he did more inhumane things than most ANBU. Of course his happiness would be ripped away. It was only what he deserved.

He _deserved it_...

But that didn't make him any less scared.

Lee closed his eyes and pressed his hand even harder against his mouth.

' _What will I tell Shikamaru?_ ' He thought. That boy believed that they could pull through, that somehow, they would find a way, ' _Or my kittens?_ ' oh kami, his kitten's didn't even _know_. Kakashi didn't know! Gaara didn't either and Itachi didn't as well.

Lee's entire body shook and he curled into a ball. His emotions were rampant and it felt like something was slipping away. Suddenly, he jerked as he felt paper in his hand and he quickly read the message there. The memory returned and Lee sobbed.

He finally got it. He knew what the trigger was.

It made Lee laugh, a high pitched hysterical sound.

 _Of course_. Of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course, of course!

He was finally _feeling_ , he could laugh and smile, cry and scream with emotions that weren't _infuriatingly vague_ anymore.

How _fitting_ that it was those emotions that made it easier to make him _forget_.


	37. Chapter 37

Lee giggled to himself even though he felt like he was a second from screaming. Slowly, his giggles died down and he just stared at the ceiling with a dead expression.

"Just what did I do in my past life to get this..." Lee muttered, "Maybe it would be better to just end it all..."

Lee hummed and a chillingly dead smile cracked the corners of Lee's lips.

"Would you like that Shinigami-sama~?" He muttered to no one, "You _loved_ the souls I gave you right...? Would you _love_ mine too?"

The giggles began again then abruptly stopped as he heard knocking at his front door. He lolled his head in that direction but made no move to get up. The knock didn't come again but Lee didn't care enough to send out his chakra to see who it had been. Instead, he closed his eyes and wondered.

Unlike Naruto, Lee knew his own healing abilities were low so he knew he would be able to cut enough to kill even if he didn't do it right the first time. Should he leave a note? What would he even say?

 _'I am sorry for putting your lives in danger'_?

Heh, pathetic. _He_ was pathetic...but he didn't want to go back to feeling nothing. Life with fear as the only emotion he truly felt was _hell_. While he lived it, he hadn't realized how much it had been, but now...

"So should I do it with a kunai or poison...? Which would be faster?" He mumbled then a familiar voice startled him into shooting up.

"For what?" Gaara asked, looking down at Lee's form.

Lee looked up at the Suna ninja and felt his heart jump. His gaze roamed over Gaara's body, taking it all in, including his new outfit, "Gaara...?" Lee whispered, feeling breathless.

Gaara _smiled_ -it was small but still there- down at him, "I sent word that I was coming."

Lee choked on a laugh and nodded, "Yes...yes you did." the leaf nin smiled and got up to hug Gaara. Gaara jerked slightly but quickly pulled Lee closer and pressed his nose against Lee's neck, inhaling deeply. A rumble like a growling purr vibrated Gaara's chest and Lee echoed the sound though his was softer and more like a cats'.

Suddenly a wet heat touched his neck and Lee gasped as Gaara licked his neck. He felt Gaara's arms tighten around him, keeping him there, but didn't struggle. He knew what this was and he did the same to Gaara. Lee slowly licked Gaara's neck where he -if he did live- would leave his mark. He felt Gaara's pulse under his tongue and the sensation calmed him like nothing else. He leaned heavily against the other demon holder and they kept up their animal comfort until they were satisfied. Then Gaara finally moved back, but not enough to let Lee go.

"Your letter..." He said, his voice still that same deep rasp, "Who are your enemies?"

Lee laughed and rested his head against Gaara's shoulder. He slowly rubbed his forehead against the fabric there then whispered, "Oh...there are so many, Gaara..." he inhaled slowly then said,

"First, I must tell you. There is a group called the Akatsuki who are after the Jinchuriki. If you see anyone wearing a black cloak with red clouds on it...be careful and run if you have to."

Gaara's arms tightened around him, "Who are _your_ enemies." he repeated

Lee paused then bit his lip. He tried not to feel so warm at Gaara's words, not wanting to forget. He took in a deep breath and whispered, "I am my own enemy, Gaara..."

Gaara tensed, "What do you mean." his voice slipped back into a demanding tone and it made Lee want to chuckle but he stopped himself and shook his head.

"I want to tell both you _and_ Shikamaru." Lee said, he chewed his lower lip carefully so he wouldn't bite through and said, "Would you mind if I had both you and him here?"

Gaara was quiet for a moment the sand poured out of his gourd. Lee blinked and stared as it shot out of his room from the window. He looked up at Gaara to see one of his eyes closed.

"Gaara...?" Lee murmured

"Wait." Gaara said and Lee closed his mouth, just leaning against him again.

A few minutes later, Shikamaru was suddenly being pulled into the room by sand, an eyeball right behind him. The eyeball dissolved and Lee stared at the Nara in shock. Shikamaru straightened up and his eyes immediately focused on Lee.

"He said you needed us both." Shikamaru said and he made his way to Lee. Uncaring that Gaara was already hugging the other leaf nin, Shikamaru wrapped his arms around Lee from behind, "What's wrong?" He asked

It made Lee's heart jump, to be held by the two at the same time. He shakily exhaled and touched one hand to Shikamaru's arms, "I found out the cause..."

Though Shikamaru's breath hitched, the skin above Gaara's eyes tightened and the red head said, "What are you talking about."

"I have been loosing myself, Gaara. My memories slip through my fingers like sand, and I think it will soon leave only the barest of myself left." Lee murmured and he wanted to laugh at how _dramatic_ he sounded, he shook his head then answered Shikamaru's silent urging, " _Emotion_ is the trigger. Each time it happened, I was experiencing high emotion beforehand."

Lee ducked his head down, smiling bitterly. Then he heard the sound of sand thrashing in Gaara's gourd.

" **Why** -" Gaara bit out and he sounded angry but not at him, more just angry. Shikamaru sighed and he answered for Lee even as he stroked Lee's collar with his thumb in comfort.

"Do you know about the curse?" Shikamaru asked and judging by Gaara's frown, he knew the boy didn't, "You saw the application. That Snake bastard left a curse on Lee's skin. It's been sealed by the best Fuinjutsu expert alive right now but as Lee said, he's been losing his memories."

Gaara finally moved away, letting Shikamaru be the only one to continue holding Lee. It felt like his skin was crawling and for once, he had the urge to move -it was either that or destroy something but this was Lee's home and he wouldn't do that-. He slowly paced, his arms crossed as he tried to think.

"What else has been done." Gaara said

Shikamaru sighed and answered as he gently lead Lee to the bed. He sat down and Lee took a spot on his lap with no urging. He wrapped his arms around Lee again and it slightly hurt to see Lee curl up into such a small ball, "It's been sealed so believe it or not, the effects have been greatly reduced. Hokage-sama had been monitoring Lee for the last two weeks and they've been trying to figure out how to remove the curse completely. Unfortunately, Jiraiya-sama thinks that only Orochimaru knows the jutsu."

Lee listened to them talk, trying to keep his emotions vague again. It was difficult, because he didn't _want_ to. Being human was painful, yes, but Lee loved being able to feel as fully as a normal person. Then he was only further reminded of the silence in his mind. It made him tremble but he hoped that Mother, however she was, was helping him. He hoped that that was why she'd been so quiet for so long and not because she was sealed as well.

He'd never been lonely when by himself before...

"Gaara, Shika?" Lee whispered, causing the two to stop talking immediately and look at him. He bit his lip then looked at Gaara first, "How...how long can you stay?"

"A few days." Gaara said, "Temari and Kankuro are also on their way. The official purpose for this visit is to talk with your new Hokage and build a new relationship between our villages."

Lee smiled, "Then..." he paused, feeling uncertain, "Team Seven is still on their mission and will not be home for two more days..." he trailed off and Shikamaru was the first to understand.

"I'll stay." Shikamaru said, "Of course I will."

Gaara just nodded and then he was moving closer. He reached out and took Lee's chin, making the leaf-nin look at him. He didn't say anything but instead, leaned down and kissed Lee, pressing his lips firmly against Lee's.

Lee blinked in surprise began to tense. He felt Shikamaru hug him tighter but the boy didn't say anything and instead, he felt Shikamaru press his face against his shoulder. It let something in Lee's chest release and he relaxed into Gaara's kiss. He closed his eyes and enjoyed the feeling until Gaara pulled away first.

"I see your fear." Gaara said, surprising Lee again, "But I will protect you from that as well."

Slowly, Lee smiled and he huffed a slight chuckle, "You still want to be my shield?"

"I will, no matter what."

Lee actually felt a bit shy. He turned his face away but couldn't stop smiling. Then he felt Shikamaru breathe against his neck before the shadow user spoke.

"You have a shield and a shadow that will follow you wherever you go." Shikamaru said, "You don't have to be scared."

Lee felt tears prick at his eyes and closed them. He pressed his cheek against Shikamaru's then lightly kissed him. He pulled back and said, "O-Okay...enough with this talk. I declare that it is time for dinner."

Shikamaru chuckled and let Lee get up, his hands trailing off Lee's body. He stood but then looked at Gaara. He focused on Lee again and said, "You go ahead, I think Gaara and I have a few things to talk about."

Lee blinked in surprise but nodded and slowly left the room. He made his way downstairs, trying to keep down a flare of happiness at the thought of cooking for Shikamaru and Gaara. Now, all he needed where his kittens -and Itachi- then everything would be perfect. He wouldn't even care about his fading memories.

Lee slowly took in a few deep breaths and felt himself relax. A soft warmth filled his heart as he began cooking and he was happy that Shikamaru was going to stay, along with Gaara. Selfishly, he wondered if he could get them to lay down with him at night too. Shikamaru, he knew would, the boy could sleep and they had fallen asleep together a few times before. Gaara on the other hand, didn't sleep at all.

-It was a little amusing that he...he fell in love with two people so different from each other.-

Lee hummed softly to himself but then his thoughts took a dark tone again.

-Was it really right, to drag the two into his problems? Orochimaru was only after him, not them...-

Lee's eyes blurred out as he continued to cook. His body went through the motions, not messing anything up as he had cooked enough in this kitchen to know.

-Would it really be better to end it? His kittens had each other now, even without him to keep them together. Gaara wasn't as bad as he used to be so he knew the demon holder could find someone better than him. Shikamaru could definitely find someone better, of that he had no doubt. Kakashi would understand...well, he hoped he would. As for his angel...-

"We're back." Lee heard Shikamaru say. He turned his head and smiled at the two shinobi.

"Good, just in time too. Food is almost done." Lee said, "What did you two talk about?"

"We just came to an agreement." Shikamaru answered, his lips curling into a crooked smile that never failed to make Lee's heart flutter.

Gaara went to Lee's side and stood close, watching Lee finish up. Shikamaru grabbed plates and utensils, still remembering from that last time he was there. He set up the table and Gaara helped Lee bring the food to the table.

-Itachi would understand too...-


	38. Chapter 38

After dinner, Shikamaru went to use the phone and Lee, who had already changed, looked at Gaara who was looking at the night clothes Lee was lending to him. It made Lee smile.

"So, what did you and Shikamaru talk about?" Lee asked

"You." Gaara said and Lee blinked in surprise.

"Me? What about me?"

"We are both going to be your mates." Gaara said, and if his voice became a little rougher at the word, Lee didn't say anything, "I know you will not leave Konoha and I will not make you. Yet I cannot join you here either as I will become Kazekage."

Lee's eyes widened then he leaped at Gaara and hugged him, "That is wonderful Gaara!" he felt Gaara freeze but then the boy hugged him back and just like before, it was almost too tight, "If you ever need my help, just ask. I will do all I can to help you."

Gaara's hold became even tighter and after a few moments, he whispered "Thank you..."

Lee smiled widely into Gaara's shoulder then felt his heart stutter in his chest and his cheeks warm as Gaara continued.

"That's why we agreed. The Nara will stay with you as you are in Konoha. When I am able, I will come here to take your nights. You have more than just us as your suitors but between us, we will make you want for no one else."

Lee swallowed hard and his blush grew. He looked up into Gaara's eyes and stared for a long moment before beginning to giggle. Gaara just stared beck, waiting. When Lee finished, he rested against Gaara again and said, "I welcome the thought of you two taking over my mind."

Then he pulled back and gave Gaara the simple night clothes, "Now here, go change in the bathroom. I have something I must do."

Gaara stared but still did as Lee 'asked'. Lee huffed a slight laugh then went to his bedside drawer. He pulled out Itachi's letter once more and read it again. He put it back then grabbed a piece of paper and wrote a reply.

_My Angel,_

_I have decided something important. I will not put you through the burden of having to dispose of me, but if I could have something of a wish..._

_Could I see you once more?_

_Forever your Kitty_

Lee stared at the letter then put that away as well for later that night. He heard the door open and looked to see Gaara, then his bedroom door opened and Shikamaru walked in as well. Lee gave him a smile then said, "I got you some night clothes as well."

Shikamaru nodded and grabbed the borrowed clothes, "Thanks." he said, kissing the corner of Lee's lips on his way to the bathroom.

Gaara moved to Lee's side and looked at him. Lee's smile became a little awkward and slightly apologetic.

"This must be odd for you, yes?" Lee murmured

"No." Gaara answered, "It doesn't matter to me as I don't sleep."

"That is right...what do you plan to do tonight then?"

"Watch you."

Lee laughed and though that would unnerve anyone else, Lee felt...comforted. Then, he felt warmth on his cheek and he looked up at Gaara. The red head slowly stroked his cheek, his eyes intense in a way that Lee hadn't felt in a while.

"Your eyes..." Gaara said, leaning closer and Lee felt his heart try to speed up in his chest, "They don't freeze anymore."

Lee breathed a short laugh, he closed his eyes and leaned against Gaara's hand, "That...does not surprise me. Does that disappoint you, Gaara?"

Lee felt a thumb stroke just under his eyes and he opened them again. Gaara hadn't answered and inwardly, Lee began to panic. Though, it would actually be better if Gaara did find him wanting. One less person to care when he was gone.

-And they would care. How strange, it was something he would have never believed a year ago...-

"No," Gaara finally said as he could stare into Lee's eyes again. They reminded him of the Suna sky on the nights of the new moon. Endless dark that seemed to try and suck you soul in, keeping you forever, "I like your eyes."

Lee felt his cheeks warm and he bit his lips, shyly smiling. All this honest affection turned something in him and made him feel warm. He looked into Gaara's eyes and hummed, reading up as well, "Your eyes...they are not so bad either."

Gaara hummed in slight question, his blank expression not really changing but Lee knew anyway.

"They are not so filled with hate or so lonely anymore." Lee whispered and Gaara's eyes widened a fraction. Lee hummed and kissed Gaara gently. He kept the kiss short though he wanted it to continue then pulled back.

"Lee..." Gaara said, making Lee pause and look back at him. The red head raised a hand and touched Lee's neck, making the boy shiver, "Let me mark you."

Lee gasped, eyes going wide.

"We do not need to consummate, but let me mark you."

"What does the mark actually mean anyway?" Shikamaru's voice came and Lee jumped in surprise. Gaara turned his head as if he already knew Shikamaru was there.

"I know it's something like a ring? Showing that your married in a way, but is that all?" Shikamaru continued, feeling like it wasn't. For something that made Lee tackle him to the ground in almost mindless need, it seemed like too much of a small thing.

"The mark..." Gaara said, answering Shikamaru, "it is a mark for marriage, warning others of...our claim. For those like us, with demons, it links with a part of us that lets us always know where the other is though for vessels, it's more...the direction. It also tells us that the other is alive as long as we feel the chakra inside the willing scar. Once the mark is accepted, it is there and you are mated for life."

Shikamaru nodded and looked at Lee who had a soft blush on his cheeks, "I'll second that then. I might not be a vessel, but I'd accept your bite any day. I'd give you one as well if I could."

Lee's blush grew and he looked at Shikamaru, "Shika...are...are you _sure_?"

"Absolutely."

For a moment, Lee felt his heart race and he _wanted_. He wanted so badly to bite and be bitten, and though it wouldn't be his angel biting him first, he didn't mind. He loved Gaara and Shikamaru...probably as much as his angel if his thoughts were any hint.

But...

"I...maybe now would not be a good time though." Lee said, heart pounding

If he truly planned to go through with his decision, he didn't want to leave the two with a cold mark that would fade into a white scar.

Shikamaru's eyes narrowed slightly as he had a bad feeling. He stepped up to Lee and gently took Lee's now bare hand, "Why?" He asked, "Wouldn't now be the best time?"

"W-well..." Lee swallowed hard, "A m-mark should n-not be for convenience."

"It isn't. That's just a bonus. Honestly, I've wanted the mark since you told me it was a symbol of marriage."

Warmth returned to his cheeks and Lee shivered. The fact that Shikamaru had wanted the mark for that long made Lee's longing grow. Still...he _couldn't_ , not with what he was going to do. If he felt the mark then...Lee knew he wouldn't be able to go through with his decision.

"Let us just wait for a little then. I want to tell my kittens first." Lee said, and he let his tone become playful as he added, "They do call me mother after all. It is only fair that they get to know that they are gaining two fathers."

Then Lee remembered Kakashi and his stomach twisted with uncertainty.

Kakashi had kissed him, and he hadn't told anyone. Kakashi was also considered a father to Team Seven, Sakura had allowed them to see that. What was he supposed to do?!

No...it didn't matter in the end since he wasn't going to stay until the end.

"Two days then..." Shikamaru said, he looked at Lee, still feeling a sense of wrongness but he couldn't place it for now, "Alright, I can agree with that. It won't be too troublesome since we'll be staying with you the entire time."

Lee smiled, hiding his still growing uncertainty and nodded. Then he felt Gaara's shoulder press against his and his smile turned fond. Gaara remembered that little conversation...? How cute.

Lee pressed back then looked towards the bed, "Come then, it is time to sleep." he took their hands and lead them to the bed.

It wasn't long before they all settled. Gaara was sitting with his back against the headboard on the side closest to the window. Shikamaru laid with his back to the door, facing Lee who laid in the middle of the two. Shikamaru fell asleep first, holding Lee against his chest and Lee liked it more than he remembered.

-He'd woken up like that in the Forest of Death and it settled something primal inside him that he'd never noticed before-

Lee felt Shikamaru's slow, deep breaths brush over his neck and it made his skin prickle pleasantly. He sighed softly and raised his gaze to Gaara's who never stopped watching him. He gave the other demon holder a smile and laid his hand on Gaara's thigh, stroking it lightly. Lee closed his eyes for a moment and then felt a warm hand lay over his own. He sighed in content and twined his fingers with Gaara's.

Suddenly, he felt like he was being watched by someone who was not Gaara. He opened his eyes and shifted enough to see the window. As he thought, the crow was there.

"Gaara...will you do me a favor?" Lee asked and Gaara nodded without a word. It made Lee smile.

"In that drawer is a letter. Please take it out and give it to that crow."

Though there was a subtle curiosity in Gaara's gaze, he stood from the bed and did as Lee ask. He opened the drawer and took out the topmost letter. He showed it to Lee without looking at it and when Lee nodded, he went to the window, opened it, and handed it to the bird there. The crow seemed to stare for a moment before taking the letter in its beak then flew off. He closed the window and went back to the bed, taking his spot again but closer to Lee than last time.

He took Lee's hand that time and twined their fingers together himself. The soft blush that formed on Lee's cheeks made a flare of pride rise up inside him and he raised Lee's hand to press his lips against the back of Lee's hand.

"Gaara..." Lee whispered and Gaara's lips slowly curved up.

"Sleep..." Gaara said, his voice rough in a way that made Lee shiver and he could feel it. He felt Lee's pulse speed beneath his fingertips, "I will not allow your attention to waver from us in the morning. Not even for something like lack of sleep."

Lee swallowed hard and slowly nodded. He closed his eyes, still trying to calm his heart.

-He hadn't known that Gaara could be dangerous in such a subtle way. Really, how was he meant to ever protect his heart from the red head? He had no chance against him or Shikamaru.-

Still, Lee fell asleep to Shikamaru's heat against his back and Gaara slowly stroking his hand.


	39. Chapter 39

Two days passed like they were minutes instead and Lee wished it could last longer. He felt almost...normal. He went out with his mate-to-be's and held their hands. At first, he thought that they wouldn't want to as civilians stared at them but neither cared. Gaara never cared about what others thought and Shikamaru acted as as the people weren't even there.

It made him feel happy and for a little, he regretted his decision to 'leave'...but he wasn't that important.

-He won't deny that he'd been teaching Team Seven to give their allegiance to him instead of Konoha but he hadn't done anything to encourage that in so long. He was sure that he hadn't succeeded anyway-

So when it was time for Team Seven to come back, Lee felt a sense of sad joy the moment he woke up. Slowly, the feelings faded into contentment as he felt Shikamaru hug him closer in his sleep. He smiled and shifted his head to look up at Gaara -he'd taken an easy habit of using Gaara's leg as a pillow and he loved the fact that Gaara would play with his hair-.

Gaara was already staring down at Lee, his fingers tangled in Lee's hair.

"...Good morning" He said and it had a tint of hesitance, like he wasn't used to saying such a thing.

Which Lee knew was true.

"Good morning." Lee echoed, a smiled curling his lips. He kept quiet so Shikamaru wouldn't be woken and continued, "Team Seven comes back today."

"Yes." Gaara nodded shortly then said, "You will tell them about both of us?"

Lee's eyes widened slightly then he closed them and slowly nodded, "Yes, I said I would."

His heart squeezed and he had to forced himself not to feel any further than that, "There is much to do until then, and even more if they are injured." Lee frowned lightly, "...I hope they are not..."

"You don't need to worry." Shikamaru suddenly said, his voice rough with sleep, "They'll be okay, nothing keeps any of them down. You know that."

Lee shifted enough so he could see Shikamaru as well and he smiled at the boy, "Yes...that is very true."

Finally, Lee decided to get up and he tried to get out of the boy. He giggled as Shikamaru theatrically groaned and held onto him tighter, refusing to let go. He planted a kiss onto Shikamaru's cheek then Shikamaru turned and kissed him full on the lips. Lee purred softly and kissed back before slowly pulling back. Shikamaru slowly let go with a sigh and got up as well, going to Lee's dresser where some of his clothes had ended up.

Lee crawled over Gaara to get up but he was held up again as Gaara held him in his lap. He smiled at the red head and leaned forward, slowly nuzzling their cheeks together. Gaara sighed in content and nuzzled back, a deep rumbling vibrating his chest. He turned his head in the end and kissed Lee as well. Lee's purr returned and Lee was happy to get kisses from his...

They were just his everything.

Lee smiled at Gaara then finally got up. He stepped up beside Shikamaru who just finished changing and got his own clothes out.

"I'll go start breakfast." Shikamaru said, stealing another kiss from Lee before going.

Lee grinned and felt a flutter in his stomach and chest. He smiled to himself and began changing, only pausing once as he caught Gaara just staring at him. A coy smile curled his lips and blew a kiss at Gaara just as he finished. He gasped and giggled as sand wrapped around him and pulled him back to the red head.

"You like to tease." Gaara said, his sand holding Lee up like a doll.

"Only with my mates." Lee purred and watched as Gaara's eyes darkened then Gaara growled and the low sound made him _shiver_. He blushed and said, "Now who is the tease...?"

"Still you." Gaara said, his sand pulling Lee down so he could claim Lee's lips again. It wasn't slow going like their earlier one but deep and slightly hungry. It made Lee tremble and gasp when Gaara was the one to pull back first.

"C-cruel," Lee said, "to choose now when I cannot take this further..."

A rare smile curled Gaara's lip in a way that made him look like a wolf, "Then later, I will not let you go."

Lee shivered hard again and swallowed hard. He nodded and had to take a moment when he was set down so he would not fall, "Your clothes are in the top drawer." he said, "I will be downstairs with Shikamaru."

Gaara nodded and Lee could feel the red head's eyes on him until he was clear of the room. Lee breathed a little heavily, placing his hand over his heart as he made his way downstairs. He poked his head into the kitchen and felt giddy again as he saw Shikamaru starting breakfast. He smiled and leaned against the door frame, content with just watching, at least for a little.

Shikamaru turned after a while and gave Lee a crooked smirk. It made Lee chuckle and he made his way over to the shadow user. Shikamaru turned away from the food and pulled Lee into his arms, "Hey." He said.

"Hey" Lee echoed, a silly smile curving his lips.

"So what's the plan today?" Shikamaru asked, ducking his head down and lightly brushing their lips together before just pressing his forehead against Lee's. Lee hummed softly, his eyes closing halfway.

"Well, Team Seven should be back soon. This morning if I remember correctly. I would like to have a feast for us all." Lee muttered, shifting a little closer, "So I want to go get a few things from the store. Will you stay here and do the prep work for the food? Have Gaara help as well."

"Are you sure you don't want to bring one of us with you?"

Lee laughed softly, "Come now Shika, I am a big boy. I will only be a little while, half hour at the most. They when my kittens get back, we can eat like a big happy family~"

"Heh, the things I do for you." Shikamaru said with a slight chuckle, he pressed a quick kiss to Lee's lips then said, "Alright. Half an hour, I can handle that much. I make no promises past that though."

"I would not expect you to." Lee teased then pulled away after one last kiss. He called out loud enough for Gaara to hear, saying that he was going out for a little and please help Shikamaru with cooking.

He practically skipped out of the house and headed towards the grocery store. The only thing on his mind was getting his kittens favorites -especially Kakashi's because he felt...bad. The last time they had spoke was when he told Kakashi to think on if he really did want to be with him...-.

-Well, he had ample time now-

Lee paused and sighed.

He shook his head and looked around, suddenly noticing that he was alone on the street. He frowned, a sense of foreboding filling him. He slowly continued forward, body tense as everything seemed just a little too quiet. Oddly enough, he could hear people, civilians, further away but...just not where he was.

Lee frowned a little harder then jerked, startled as a man suddenly dropped in front of him with barely a sound. His eyes widened as he looked at the grey haired, two-headed man and he only had a moment to vaguely recognise the man in the sound outfit before he felt the urge to protect himself. He quickly raised his arms but he had been wrong about the type of attack.

" _Do!_ " The man suddenly yelled.

Lee choked at he suddenly got blasted with sound. He skidded back as it felt like someone punched his torso with a boulder.

" _Re!_ " The man shouted again and Lee was suddenly in the air.

Lee tried to twist but before he could do anything, he landed into a large barrel. His eyes widened and he quickly tried to get out when a large hand smacked against his face. He yelped and _swallowed something_. Panic filled him, then fear as a dark lid suddenly slammed down over him. He heart quickly began to pound with an almost consuming fear and he clenched his hand into a fist, planning to smash it open when it felt like electricity suddenly shot through him. It ran through his body and focused on his brain then _amplified_.

Lee screamed in shock and pain, his brain skipping tracks and he couldn't think past the pain and fear. It was too much, the voltage too high and Lee unwillingly passed out.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Slowly, darkness receded and Lee opened his eyes only to be greeted by more darkness. Silence somehow echoed around him. His body throbbed with pain as did his head. He couldn't think.

He closed his eyes.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

It was still dark when he opened his eyes again. His head still hurt, but it was bearable now, so he looked around and felt for any walls.

Confined.

There were walls all around him, like a circle.

He blinked and searched in his mind.

Mother was distant, which meant she was sleeping.

Was he being moved...?

The Elders never did this before...

He guessed that it didn't really matter.

Lee closed his eyes again.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Still dark but the sudden lack of movement woke him for -what he remembered- was the third time. He looked up -or would it be the bottom that opened?- and waited. Then-

Light.

Lee squinted at the sudden brightness. He blinked a few times and when his eyes adjusted, he saw green eyes staring down at him. The person wasn't familiar at all...

"Lee." The man said and Lee slowly nodded.

"My name is Kimimaro, Orochimaru-sama is waiting for you. He is your new Master." Kimimaro said and Lee felt a very vague sense of surprise.

In the end, he only nodded again then got out of his...barrel.

Lee blinked and looked at the barrel he'd been carried in before looking back at Kimimaro.

"Where...?" He asked and his voice was slightly hoarse -was it because he hadn't spoken in so long or was it because of pain? Both were equally possible...-.

"Otogakure." Kimimaro answered, "Kabuto-sama will lead you there."

Lee blinked and looked past Kimimaro towards a man standing in the treeline. For some reason, his heart squeezed in fear but Lee figured that it was only expected. 'Sama', the man must be only a step below his new master...

Lee made his way to the grey-haired man.

"Hello Lee-chan," Kabuto said with a smile that made Lee want to cower, "I'm so glad you're finally joining us. Let's go, it's best not to keep Orochimaru-sama waiting..."

"Yes, Kabuto-sama..."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the end of part one! (It would be Book One if this was an actual novel~) I'm going to take a break from Ikiryou and post a different story (don't know which one yet). When we come back with Ikiryou, it'll be with a time skip!
> 
> Tell me, should I label this as complete and start a new story, labeling this one and that one as Book One and Book Two? Or just keep it as one whole story?

**Author's Note:**

> Hidden Village: Cloud Village  
> Class: Demon  
> Tail Number: Nibi (Two)  
> Type: Cat  
> Imbued Within: Rock Lee
> 
> Nibi is one of the "bijuu", a tailed beast of the ancient world. Seeking a way to create a ninja with a large amount of chakra that would be an unstoppable machine, the Nibi was placed inside Hidden Cloud shinobi Rock Lee. Nibi has been refered to as an "ikiryou" or living ghost.
> 
> Little is known about the Nibi and its abilities. In mythology the two-tailed cats were said to have the ability to manipulate the dead like puppets and have been associated with strange fires and occurrences. Nibi has been shown to use fire in its attacks and its nickname brings to mind the dead manipulation abilities.


End file.
